Sacrifice 12
by rewind gone nuts
Summary: What happens when a mishap with a magic item sends Ranma to the world of Sacrifice? Ranma the Wizard anyone?
1. Chapter 1

Sacrifice One Half 

_Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters, concepts and terms are the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi and co. Sacrifice™ and all related characters, concepts and terms are the sole property of Shiny Entertainment. I own nothing. This is a not-for-profit fanfiction._

_Notes: Set strictly Anime continuity, early 7th season_

Prologue: A Nasty Accident! Choose a God Ranma!

It was the usual chaos in the Tendo Dojo, home to the Tendo School of Indiscriminate Grappling, Nerima. Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, was currently engaged in what most outsiders would dub a fight to the death with his various rivals and fiancées.

It had all started less than a half-hour ago, when Happosai had come into the dojo with some ornate jewel-thing. Naturally enough, it was stolen. Unfortunately, it had been stolen from the Cat Café, which meant an angry Cologne, Shampoo and Mousse had tracked him down to the Tendo Dojo. Equally naturally, no sooner had they arrived than Shampoo and Mousse had forgotten about the jewel-thing to start chasing Ranma. That had made Akane mad, so she started yelling at Ranma and chasing him with her mallet. That made Ryoga, who'd turned up out of sheer blind luck as usual, start trying to thrash Ranma for "hurting" Akane. Ranma still wasn't sure where Ukyo and the Kunos had come from, but they were in the melee now, racing round and round the grounds after the madly laughing Happosai, who would try (half-heartedly) to leap out of the fray to make a (full-hearted) grab for the bust or rump of one of the female participants. As Genma and Soun alternately lectured and wept, the Nerima Wrecking Crew blundered all over the place, smashing every inanimate object to cross their paths.

Finally, Ranma managed to snag the jewel-thing; or at least snag it back, during the course of their little 'romp' it had changed hands about a dozen times- Ranma was sure he'd accidentally grabbed it off of Cologne once or twice. Unfortunately for him, as he dodged some of Ryoga's Buzzsaw Bandannas he tripped over a gauntlet-on-a-chain thrown at him by Mousse, with the end result he took a (harmless) tumble. Of course, given Ranma's luck, that caused him to accidentally flip up Akane's skirt.

"RANMA, YOU PERVERT!"

With that all-too familiar cry, Akane drew her mallet back and swung it down onto Ranma's face in perhaps the mightiest blow she has ever delivered. Rather than the expected (and painful) sound of flesh pulping and bone crunching, something altogether unusual (even by Nerima standards) happened. Instead of hitting Ranma's face, Akane's mallet hit some sort of invisible shield (which produced a sudden "flicker" of blue energy) and shattered into shards. Secondly, there was the sound of glass breaking. All looked towards the jewel-thing now clutched tightly in Ranma's hands; sure enough, it was cracked.

"Uh oh."

That was the last thing anyone wanted to hear from Cologne, but before anyone could do anything the cracks began to multiply, streamers of light pouring from them and accompanied by not only the sound of glass cracking but also by a strange humming noise. Before Ranma could even think to throw the jewel-thing away, it exploded in a pillar of blinding light. When everyone could see again, there was nothing left of Ranma or the jewel-thing except a scorch-mark on the floor.

_Damn tomboy. Can't she ever get off my case? Oh great…_

"Where the hell am I!"

Ranma looked at his surroundings with disgruntlement (not that he even knew what the word meant). After the jewel-thing had broken, the light had blinded him. All he could feel was a tumbling sensation, as though he was falling through the air and caressed by the wind. Then, it had stopped with gentle thump and he'd found himself here- wherever here was. He was apparently on a sort of small rocky island, floating in what looked like a sort of silvery-blue mist. Specifically, he was on a peninsula, whereas at the opposite end of the island was a cluster of five statues. Out of curiosity, he approached them.

They were very strange statues; all depicted a figure that could be considered humanoid, but not human. There was one that looked like a muscular humanoid earthworm in overalls. Another was stylised to have flames instead of hair, as well as across most of its body, and to be wearing a velvet robe and holding a cigarette in a long, fancy pipe. A third resembled a hybrid of woman and plant, with green skin and flowers and leaves for hair. The fourth was hardest to classify, as it was entirely wrapped in clothing; a robe, hood, goggles, scarf and gloves, leaving not a trace of its flesh. The final one was a sort of decaying corpse-thing, its forearms rotted down to bare bones, its fingers long and sharp-looking claws. Its face was stitched together vertically, as was part of its mouth, with what looked like rotten bootlace. Ranma would have turned and ignored them after satisfying his curiosity, if they hadn't started moving.

"Welcome child. Are you the new wizard?" The voice was formal and feminine, with a trace element someone who hadn't been away from his mother most of his childhood would have deemed maternal.

"Uh, what?"

"The new wizard, come to our world to seek tutelage under one of us in the ways of magic." This was a regal voice, emanating from the robed figure.

"Afraid not. I just had this little accident with this jewel-thing, next thing I know I'm here."

"So you did not come to our world of your own free will?" Asked the fiery figure, taking a deep draw upon his cigarette.

"No, and what's worse the jewel-thing's broken- which pretty much means I'm stuck here, I guess." Ranma shrugged, easily accepting that would have had most people in a blind panic. But then, he was used to this.

"Perhaps we can help." Seeing Ranma's face brighten at her words, the plant-woman hurriedly corrected herself.

"We do not mean we can help you directly; gods though we be, we can exert little influence beyond this world. What We mean is that you can choose one of us as your tutor in the ways of magic. Once you have master the arcane arts necessary, you can transport yourself back to your world." Seeing what Ranma was about to say, she quickly added:

"Do not worry child, time will not affect you or the ones you have left behind. At least, not to the extent you fear. We estimate it will take mere months at worst before you will be able to return to your home. That said, you must choose one of us- and only one- for your tutor."

"I'm grateful for the offer of help and everything, but exactly who are you all?"

"Forgive Our manners child. We are Persephone, the very essence of Life and Purity. You are a servant of good, are you not child? Then come, become one of Our Mystics and wield the holy forces of Righteousness and Justice against the inequity of the infernal ones."

Ranma noticed that the fire-being and the corpse-thing took offense to that; flame-head fumed, the fires clinging to it surging in height and intensity and wafting gouts of smoke whilst rot-face hissed, shook its bony fist and spat at the plant-woman.

"Elysium is a green and gentle land of peace and prosperity, where an honourable warrior such as yourself can truly belong. Come to Us, love Us, and We shall requite thy love a thousand-fold."

"Pah! Do not listen to that green-skinned tree-hugging old crone!"

Spat flame-head. Ranma stifled a grin at the outraged and indignant look on Persephone's face. Ignoring her, and the smirks of the other gods, flame-head took a deep puff on his cigarette and continued in his deep rich voice.

"I am Pyro, god of fire. These worms will tell you that I am the scion of destruction and chaos, but that is not the whole truth. I am the spark of imagination and the engine of industry, the bringer of knowledge and the bearer of light. They are jealous of me and my works, for I am the master of sorcery and science. Do not fall for their lies; fire can be destructive, it is true, but is it not also the very symbol of life? Full of passion and vibrancy and intensity? You too share these qualities, I can sense the burning within you. Join me as one of my Sorcerers, and I will teach you to call upon that burning within the depths of your soul, to call upon it and to shape it! I will make you an artist of the fire within you!"

The cloaked figure stepped(?) forward now, somehow managing to smirk despite its lack of facial features.

"Forget all of this nonsense, the god you truly want to learn from is me; Stratos, god of air and supreme lord of the heavens. I am the bringer of storms and the mover of the firmament, as cerebral as I am celestial and as prophetic as I am pragmatic. As if the power of Elementalism is not enough, as if the mastery of the heavens, the power to control the wind, the frost and the lightning is insufficient to sway you to my side, then consider this: Empyrea's libraries are without comparison in all the land. Surely amongst the greatest magical libraries in the entire world you will be able to find a way, not only to return to your home but also to free yourself from the shackles of Jusenkyo's curse. Choose wisely wanderer, and choose well."

Stratos' melodic voice trailed off and he backed away as the worm-man stepped towards Ranma.

"I am James, god of earth. Ya know, rocks and soil and stuff, some pretty nice gems and metals too. I don't claim ta be the most excitin' of gods, but that ain't my purpose. I'm here ta look out fer ya, to keep an eye on ya and help ya out if yer in trouble. These hoity-toity windbags are fickle as the breeze, 'specially Stratos; ya can never really count on 'em to be there fer ya. Not me though; I'm always there fer ya, through the good times and the bad. I'll pick ya up when yer down, and shield ya when the goin' gets rough. You'll never be as safe as when ya got the very earth fer a friend. 'Cause that's what I am ta my Geomancers; I'm yer friend and confidante. We like a smooth and quiet life in the Glebe, but that don't mean there's no room ta stand out or ta do great things, all it means issat ain't nobody gonna tell ya what it means ta be great. Fact is, if ya wanna reach fer the stars, my granite's the best foundation ta do it with. I'm gonna see ya get everythin' that's comin' ta ya- it's even writ in stone, if'n ya want."

It was the corpse-thing that spoke up next, the last of the gods to make his spiel.

"Don't waste your time with these fools and their trinkets! They make such pretty offers, but none of them really understand you. You are a child of war, born to fight, a living weapon trained from birth to defeat your enemies. You thrive on conflict! And that's what you'll get, if you choose me. I am Charnel, god of strife, god of slaughter, god of death! Where there is pain, I am there. Where there is suffering, I flourish. Where there is joy- yes, well, one simply cannot have joy without another's suffering, can one? Oh, do not look so shocked! You know this is true! Have you not suffered at the hands of your so-called friends and family? Have not your supposed fiancées physically and mentally hurt you? Then come to me and become a Necromancer… master the black arts under my tutelage, and then show them what it really means to suffer…"

Charnel returned to the ranks of the gods, who stood waiting for Ranma to make his decision. Five gods, one choice. Which was it to be?

_Reviews please! Oh, and the next chapter won't come until I have at least three reviews nominating a specific god for Ranma to follow._


	2. Chapter 2

S .5 Part Two 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes: **Wow, I didn't know this fic would turn out so popular! Just so you know, my "take" on the gods/creatures/spells of Sacrifice will be slightly-to-considerably different from the original game. If you dislike this, then just consider this story to be set after Eldred's battles with Marduk; all of the slain gods have returned and life has changed from the endless wars of the past. There will still be a lot of conflict though, and Ranma will end up creating his own unique Anything Goes/Magic crossbreed style.

By the way, here are the tallies of your votes. For a while, I thought it would be Pyro who won, but in the end the winner was the Master of Storms.

Stratos: 16

Pyro: 10

James: 8

Charnel: 7

Persephone: 4

Part One: I Choose You! Wind in the Mane of the Wild Horse

"Um… I can only choose just one of you, right?"

"Yes. We may no longer wage our endless wars of faith on each other" here Charnel directed a meaningful stare at Persephone, who ignored him and the glares of the other gods "but we still refuse to share our secrets. If you would learn magic from us, you may choose only one of us. The choice, in the end, is yours. But you may choose one and only one."

Ranma deliberated for a few minutes, thinking it over, then nodded.

"Alright, then the one I choose is…" He looked over them, as though he was hoping to see them sweat in anticipation. Naturally, if that was the case then he was destined to be disappointed. Other than a slight air of excitement and curiosity, the gods looked so calm and collected that they made Kasumi seem like a frenzied wild-thing.

"You. Stratos, lord of the heavens, I, Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, do humbly request that you tutor me in the ways of magic."

Having made that statement, Ranma sunk to his knees in a formal gesture, bowing his head as he did so. He looked up to five smiling gods.

"Be honest with me; that's the most formal and proper you've been in your life, isn't it Ranma?" asked Stratos.

"Yeah" Ranma grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

"Very well. I accept your request, and will tutor you in the Art of Elementalism."

Stratos reached out with a gloved hand and, with a little trepidation (this was an actual GOD after all), Ranma shook it.

This action prompted some minor but good-natured grumbling from the goods that hadn't been chosen, but they all congratulated Stratos on being Ranma's choice before disappearing.

"Come now Ranma. Your new home awaits."

Stratos gestured, producing a spinning portal of the same blue-silver mist that surrounded the island, and then walked into it, with Ranma following behind him.

It had been almost a month since Ranma had come to Otherworld (as it was generally called), and he was learning a lot. For the first week or so, Stratos had instructed him personally, not only on how to actually use magic and tap mana, but also on the basic nature and history of Otherworld.

Millions of years ago, Otherworld had apparently been much like earth, inhabited by animals, the indigenous sentients (the Fyllid, a race of humanoids with vaguely feline facial features) and a single god; the Creator. That all changed the day an evil wizard, now known only as the Betrayer, opened a portal to the Demon Realms in the land of Golgotha. In the ensuing battle, the Creator had been destroyed and the land had been torn asunder, reduced to numerous islands floating in a "sea" of ether (the blue-silver mist). After the war, the islands had all begun to change, assuming a "theme" that later served to denote them as belonging to one of the five gods (Stratos, Charnel, James, Pyro and Persephone) who had come afterwards.

Persephone's territory, named "Elysium", consisted of rich forests and fertile plains. Pyroborea, as Pyro's lands were dubbed, consisted of scorched and fire-blasted volcanic wastes. The Glebe was a great mass of rocky deserts and badlands, while Stygia, Charnel's territory, was a fetid and loathsome morass of swamps, meres and diseased, rotting plains. Empyrea, home of Stratos (and now Ranma), consisted entirely of high mountains and deep valleys. Strangely enough, it also served as the closest Otherworld equivalent to a sea, as many forms of aquatic life had adapted to surviving in the icy waters that pooled and gushed from the mountains.

Eventually, Stratos couldn't afford to spend all of his time teaching Ranma, as he had other duties to attend to. Instead, he directed Ranma to Castle de'Cuckoo, one of the finest magic schools in Empyrea. He had also presented an island, Dalara Peaks, to Ranma as his demesne- his own personal domain; a place where he had absolute authority and which would serve as a introduction to the other parts of an Otherworld Mage's life, specifically summoning and leading monsters as well as converting enemy souls for his own use. Ranma wasn't exactly ecstatic about this, but he was resolved to learn everything he had to so that he could get home.

Dalara Peaks was just a single (martial artist) jump south of Castle de'Cuckoo and also primly positioned to help Ranma learn how to command troops, with a Stygian island (Bleak Marsh) to the south-east, a Glebe island (Decennia) to the north-west, a Pyroborea demesne (Petroglodyte) to the south and an Elysium island (Marin Groves) to the east. Ranma himself specifically lived in a village called Sliverspine, set on a plateau near the top of the mountain.

Despite his initial trepidations, Ranma had adapted quite easily to life studying in Castle de'Cuckoo. Most of the students there –indeed, most of the students in any magic school in Otherworld- were off-worlders like him, come to study magic. A few were natives, and an equal percentage (but not the same percentage) would remain in Otherworld and continue controlling their demesnes here rather then returning to their homeworld and resuming their lives like Ranma intended to do.

His curse had earned him the temporary curiosity of the other students, but then so would his being the new guy, or his martial arts prowess. Most of them paid it no attention now, and a few of them were actually interested in studying it, either to learn how the magic works or how to cure it, and then getting good grades with their thesis's about it. Ranma himself was currently studying the textbook on first-level spells.

Despite the assumptions of many, including himself, Ranma Saotome was not stupid. In actual fact, Ranma's psyche, had it been left to develop properly, could have made him a genius jack-of-all-trades, capable of mastering absolutely any and every subject he bothered to put his mind to. Unfortunately, both for him and the world at large, his idiotic father has crudely manipulated that brilliant mind since Ranma was old enough to start being trained as the heir to the Saotome School.

All his life, he has been traumatized, beaten and forced to concentrate his entire mental prowess on a single subject; Martial Arts. The resultant mental scarring has effectively rendered Ranma Saotome an Idiot Savant; absolutely useless at any and every subject outside of his limited focus. Only in martial arts can his genius truly shine, but unfortunately martial arts are hardly the most sociable of foci. None of his "friends" have ever managed to notice this, naturally, and the only one who would have a clue is the one who damaged him in the first place.

But now, Ranma was attempting to master a different sort of Art; the Arcane Arts. The similarities were there, but so were the differences. The resultant paradox, coupled with Ranma's determination to master this despite all costs, was slowly allowing him to "think outside of the box", eroding some of that scar tissue and allowing him to unleash more of his true brilliance.

Not all of it unfortunately, such a degree of scarring ensured that Ranma would never truly be at his full potential outside of his foci (the martial and now the arcane arts), but he would be much better than he had previously been. Ranma himself knew none of this, all he knew was that subjects that had once been both boring and near impossible to grasp were getting slightly more interesting and easier to understand.

It had taken him roughly two weeks to first master the most basic magical theory, but once he finally understood that learning the actual spells was going much quicker. The Speed-Up spell, which hastened the target to a degree that almost matched his natural speed, had taken him mere hours to grasp, perhaps because he knew that simple cantrip would render him a truly deadly martial artist. The next cantrip was the Heal spell, which summoned magical energies to repair, restore and revitalise. The ability to instantly heal any wound and remove fatigue with a gesture was, naturally, of considerable interest to Ranma.

Having finished with the cantrips, it was time to move onto the first-level stuff. He'd just gotten the hang of the Lightning spell, now he was looking at two more 'esoteric' spells; Water Repulsion (primarily used to keep things dry; most Empyrean clothing had this spell enchanted into it as a matter of course) and Frigid Aura (froze nearby water droplets solid). In both cases, he hoped they'd help him from having to worry so much about cold water (an abundant resource in Empyrea) and thus his curse.

Ranma was distracted from his studies by having a pail of icy Empyrea water splashed on him.

"Waak! That's cold! What'd ya do that for?"

Ranma glared at her two closest friends on campus, who smirked back at her. Yuki and Yiku, off-worlders like her. They were members of a vaguely androgynous elf-like race, who had confirmed the rumours about being fraternal twins (Yuki the sister and Yiku the brother) but refused to either confirm or disprove the rumour about being lovers. They both had a mischievous streak a mile wide, and Ranma (with her seeming inability to dodge non-lethal attacks made by her "friends") was a favourite victim.

"You've been hitting the books so hard, you're starting to get dusty."

"Best take a break and come with us, else you'll get all musty."

Yuki and Yiku had an annoying habit of either speaking in rhyme, speaking in perfect unison or finishing off each other's sentences, something that didn't endear them to most of their fellows. Ranma, though, was used to dealing with much more annoying personal habits, so she was one of their best friends.

It paid off sometimes too; the pair were 3rd-level Elementalists, whereas Ranma was only a 1st-level. Of course, no one teased her about it. For one thing, they were all students in some way or another; secondly Ranma's physical prowess was far in advance of anything they could ever hope to match. On her first day, a notorious bully had splashed him, and then groped her female form. The resultant brutal beating had instantly earned Ranma a place in the school's social ladder as "Someone You DON"T Want To Mess With".

"Come on you guys, I have studying to do."

"Why Ranma, it seems you've turned"

"Into a bookworm. What happened to the phys ed champion"

"We used to know? We bet you"

"Don't have the guts to come with us."

"Ranma Saotome never backs down from any sort of challenge! I'm with you! Er… as soon as I've changed back anyway."

Yuki and Yiku smirked.

"Then meet us at your place in Sliverspine, most everyone's gone home for lunch or finished for the day anyway."

One quick change later…

"So, where are you two going anyway? What did you want me for?"

"We think it's time you put your learning to the practical test. We're inviting you to come with us on raid in Marin Groves. That is, unless you're afraid to come."

Ranma didn't particularly like the idea of leading his followers (who he'd become quite attached to in the short time he'd known them) to their potential deaths. But on the other hand, his ego wouldn't allow anyone to call him a coward, and he had to do this sooner or later. He agonized over it for a few seconds, then reluctantly nodded.

"Alright, I'll do it."

_Well, that's it; chapter two finished. Next chapter: Ranma's First Raid! Will it be a disaster or a success? Will Ranma swear off commanding an army, or will he get a taste for blood? Reviews provoke me to write faster…_


	3. Chapter 3

S .5 Part Three 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

Part Two: Growth of the Storm! Sparks Fly Tonight!

_How in the world do I get myself into these messes?_

Was Ranma's primary thought. He looked over his forces, pitifully few in comparison to Yuki and Yiku's. He'd gathered the few followers he thought could be spared from Sliverspine, which amounted to half a dozen Frostwolves and four Sylphs. Yiku and Yuki both had a dozen Frostwolves and the same amount of Sylphs. Yiku had brought a quartet of Vorticks with him, whilst Yuki had half a dozen Squalls. They looked over his small force and sympathetically clicked their tongues and shook their heads.

Ranma fought down any feelings of embarrassment; it wasn't his fault they'd been on more raids and thus carried off more souls then he had. Nor was it his fault he didn't really like the idea of killing; he'd been brought up to protect the weak, not to prey upon them! But then, could it really be considered killing if the life force of the slain could be reconstituted into new beings?

Yiku distracted Ranma from his philosophical musings (a rarity even now that the scar tissue was being eroded) to draw his attention to the plan. The three of them were each going to attack a separate village, thus reducing possible suspicion and minimizing the possibility of unified resistance. Ranma nodded as Yiku gave him directions, and resolved to get the raid over with and then deal with any feelings of guilt.

Yuki and Yiku went their separate paths, and Ranma, with some reluctance, headed down the trail Yiku had pointed out, his followers silently following him.

They approached the village through the trees, moving as silently as possible in this unfamiliar environment. They were close to the fields now, and Ranma could see peasants tending to their crops. He fought down perhaps the strongest pang of guilt yet and motioned to his warriors to advance. Unfortunately, a Shrike hidden in the nearby bushes disrupted their silent approach.

"AWWK! WARE! RAIDERS! RAIDERS! AWWW-GUK!"

The Shrike's lethal voice had thrown Ranma's force into chaos, clutching their heads in agony. Ranma ignored his bleeding ears and intensely throbbing bones and motioned at the Shrike, at his gesture a Sylph put an arrow through its throat. The kill was quick, but not quick enough. The village had been alerted, and the peasants scrambled into their huts as Druids, Rangers and Shrikes swarmed towards the forest.

"So much for the silent approach. Oh well…. Forward! Take no prisoners!"

_Did I really just say that?_

Ranma had no time to consider his words as he and his warriors charged forth to meet the oncoming defenders of the village.

"Destroy the heretics!"

Shouted a Druid.

The resultant melee was both more and less brutal than any battle Ranma had ever engaged in before. While not on the same level as one of his usual fights, none of his other fights had ever been truly lethal. A Shrike dropped from the sky, riddled with Sylph arrows, whilst one of his Frostwolves half-snarled and half-screamed as a Ranger's arrow hit it in the shoulder. Ranma himself was hurled into a fight with a half-dozen Druids, whilst three Rangers did their best to stick him with arrows whenever they felt there wasn't a risk of hitting their allies.

Ranma found his personal fight to be, if anything, reminiscent of home. True, none of his rivals wore spiked gloves, or used a bow and arrow, but the similarities were there. The Druids' style was unlike anything he'd seen before, but nothing to really challenge him. Ranma's guilt and desire to avoid killing meant he was on the defensive though, dodging and blocking attacks, when he noticed something happening nearby that made time seem to stop.

Rockjaw, a young Frostwolf who had begged to be allowed to come on this raid, was fighting a Druid- and losing. Clearly defeated, he threw away his dagger and surrendered. His opponent clearly recognized the surrender for what it was and stopped- for a second. Then he sneered (as well as Ranma could tell with that weird mask Druids wore) then deliberately slit Rockjaw's throat with his glove-blades before punching through his ribcage and impaling the heart. At that, something seemed to snap inside Ranma's head; the guilt and indecision vanished as something seemed to click into place.

With a primal shout, Ranma went on the offensive, using his full strength for the first time in a long time. The first Druid to catch his attention caught a fist in the face, his neck and skull audibly shattering as he flew through the air to impact the Rangers who had been shooting at Ranma. Another lashed out with a punch, only to have Ranma effortlessly dodge it and then snap the offending limb off before burying it spikes-first in its owner's heart. Noticing a Scarab had entered the battlefield; he quickly fried the magical spider with a Lightning spell before it could begin spinning its healing webs. Having defeated his own opponents, he turned his attention to the rest of the battlefield.

An Otherworld Mage's attitude and nature influences the fighting abilities and spirit of his followers. Ranma's indecision hadn't been exactly inspiring for his followers, who had fought with the same lack-lustre performance and general reluctance as he initially had. But when Ranma himself began to truly fight, they had responded to his change in attitude, attacking with a steadily building enthusiasm as their master served to inspire them. Druids went down, screaming defiance, beneath the flashing fangs and daggers of Frostwolves. Having cleared the sky of Shrikes, the Sylphs directed their shots with lethal accuracy at the ground-based enemies, taking great relish in downing their Ranger counterparts.

The village hadn't been that heavily populated to begin with, which meant Ranma's frenzied forces soon eliminated their adversaries. A few Frostwolves began heading towards the village, and the defenceless peasants within, but Ranma called them back.

"No! Enough killing. We've enough souls now."

He looked, sounded and acted like someone who'd just awoken from a long and not necessarily pleasant dream, staring at his bloody hands with an undisguised mixture of repulsion, guilt, self-loathing and fascination. He knew he should have despised what he had done with all his heart, but a part of him deep inside had been enthralled by the carnage and eagerly anticipated leading his followers into battle again. Ranma quickly and ruthlessly squashed that part, refusing to accept that he could ever find anything enjoyable in this bloodbath. He quickly turned to examine his forces. As well as poor Rockjaw, three more Frostwolves and two Sylphs had died in the battle.

With great reluctance, he approached Rockjaw's corpse, dreading what he had to do next. He reached out and gently touched the corpse, searching for the lingering life essence, the "soul", as Stratos had taught him to do. It flowed from Rockjaw's corpse (which evaporated in a puff of ether) into Ranma's body with barely a hint of effort on Ranma's part. Ranma stifled a smile at the surge of intense pleasure this caused, he should be feeling guilty for having to do this. He approached and absorbed each of his followers' souls, then thought over what he had to do.

He knew the spells to reconstitute his followers, but what should he use the essence for? He debated tactics and versatility in his mind for a few minutes, then nodded and began the incantation. If he had thought the rush from receiving a soul was intense, then he was truly surprised at how deeply… _satisfied_… he felt after having literally woven a new life-form from the ether and charged it with that essence. A new Frostwolf and two new Sylphs had been first on his list, but he decided to use the remaining three souls to give his force a little more "balance" in the form of three Brainiacs.

He scowled at the corpses of his enemies, and for a second considered leaving them rot here in this field. But that would mean his followers would have sacrificed themselves for nothing. Steeling his resolve, he began to cast the Conversion cantrip, each successful casting summoning a Stratos Sac-Doctor (which resembled a child-sized humanoid vortex of wind, ice and lightning) who began circling an enemy corpse, intent of forcibly ripping the soul from it and carrying it away to Ranma's altar back in Sliverspine.

"Oh, don't look so glum Ranma! For your first raid –and especially your first kills- you did great!"

"Yeah, besides, it's not like it really matters that some died does it? You got their essence back, your forces are as strong as ever."

"Stronger really, what with having brought those Persephone souls here."

Yuki and Yiku were trying –and failing- to cheer Ranma up back in Sliverspine. Since he'd arrived there (the first to do so) he'd fallen into a guilty depression. He still hadn't cleaned the blood off his hands. Yiku and Yuki were sympathetic, they understood how hard your first kill could be, but they were incomprehensive as to why Ranma was taking it so hard. They tried to talk to him, to make him feel better, but Ranma said and did nothing. Not even Ryo, his first (and so far only) Manahoar's gentle, anxious nuzzlings could provoke a reaction. Finally, Ranma stirred and got up from his chair.

"I'm going outside. I don't want to talk about it."

His voice was cold and flat, his eyes lifeless. Yuki and Yiku decided it was best to just let Ranma mourn in private.

Ranma walked through the village, aware of every eye turned upon him and their constant whispers. He knew they were staring at him with hatred, and whispering their grievances to each other. Or at least, that's what he believed. In truth, the villagers bore no resentment for the raid at all (it was just a part of daily life in Otherworld after all), and actually had been impressed by Ranma's fighting skills. Had they any idea about the self-loathing and guilt Ranma was suffering, they would have done their best to alleviate it, but as far as they knew nothing was wrong.

Ranma stopped suddenly, as perhaps the being he least wanted to see that moment came into view. Daggertongue, Rockjaw's mother, was known and feared as one of the village's best warriors. Ranma would have preferred to take her on the raid instead of her son, but a Yeti had mauled her a year ago; though she had survived she had been left with a crippled leg. That, coupled with the fact she was expecting a new pup (her husband had apparently been killed by Persephone raiders some time before Ranma came to Otherworld), meant she couldn't battle or hunt any more.

"Lorrrd Rrranma!" she called, growling her R's like all Frostwolves did. She limped towards him with her spear/walking stick clutched in her hands.

Oh great. She's going to kill me when she finds out about Rockjaw. Oh well, better than I deserve.

"Daggertongue, I just want to say I'm sorry. I know it won't bring him back, but you have my deepest sympathies. I won't try to escape your punishment."

Daggertongue blinked at him in confusion for a second, then bopped him over the head with her spear. He blinked, and not just from the sudden pain; it was weirdly reminiscent of Cologne.

"What arrre you talking about?"

"Your son, Rockjaw, he's…"

"Dead. I know. I hearrrd all about the rrraid. But still, why would I want to punish you?"

Ranma blinked in confusion.

"Why? Your son is dead!"

"So? Why should I be angrrry with you? Did you kill him?"

"I may as well have. If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't have come on that raid."

Daggertongue whacked Ranma over the head again, then shook her head sympathetically.

"Why arrre you so upset? Why arrre you blaming yourrrself? We have rrraided before, and been rrraided too, and someone almost always dies. So what?"

She chuckled gently at Ranma's stunned look of incomprehension.

"My lorrrd, you must underrrstand that, forrr us, death is a parrrt of life; rrraids arrre an everrryday occurrrence herrre. Once, long ago, all the lands knew nothing but constant warrr. Rrrockjaw fell in battle, fighting forrr a lorrrd we rrrespect and admirrre. There is no sorrrow in that. You arrre not a bad Mage Rrranma, and you shouldn't be upset orrr believe you have failed us by sufferrring casualties. Therrre is no shame in losing soldierrrs, only in failing to rrretrrrive theirrr essence from the battlefield. We rrrespect you, we admirrre you and, most of all, we like you. So cleanse yourrr heart, and be at peace. The village has only become strrrongerrr with these new souls, and you have nothing to be ashamed of."

She smiled, shook her head in gentle disbelief and limped away, leaving a confused –but strangely relieved- Ranma. As he accepted what she had said, he plunged his hands into the snow and began to scrub off the blood.

_Wow, pretty dark by my standards. Not my best work, I know, but I was rather unsure as how to proceed. So Ranma's lost some of his qualms about killing, but he's still not a bona-fide Sacrifice mage just yet. In the next chapter, I plan to cover more "eventful" scenes from Ranma's life in Otherworld as he increases his magical powers, becomes more accustomed to leading an army and cures his curse, and in the subsequent his return to Nerima. If there's something you'd like to see happen, then review and let me know alright? I will consider requests._


	4. Chapter 4

S .5 Part Four 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** wow, four chapters and not one flame or even slightly discouraging remark yet. And to think I thought this would be a disaster! By the way, back in chapter one I mentioned that this is strictly anime continuity; that means no failed wedding, no Saffron, no Musk (though they may make cameos when Ranma gets back to Nerima in the next chapter) and no Yamasenken or Umisenken (by the way, can anyone tell me what the techniques for each of those are, and details for each technique?). I was planning on using something similar to Yamasenken's Vacuum Blade as a Mana Technique (like a Ki Technique Moko Takabisha, Hiryu Shoten Ha but using mana instead of ki) though. And following a reviewer's advice, thoughts are in italics.

Part Three: Growing Up Magical

2 Months Later… 

Ranma was definitely becoming more acclimatised to his new life. Though a part of him still, and probably always would, recoil at the ideas of killing or initiating attacks on others, he had very little problem now leading raids or defending his demesne from raiders now. In fact, his raids were probably the reason why he had only progressed to 4th-level, which meant he now surpassed Yuki and Yiku (who were somewhat amazed; it had taken them 8 years to get to 3rd-level), in the two months since his first raid.

His second raid had taken place about a week after the first; it was a retaliatory raid against a group of slavers from Petroglodyte, who had massacred the fishing village of Icebramble. Ranma had converted the souls they'd left behind, then chased after them and wiped them out, converting the souls of all who fell.

As well as getting practical experience, Ranma was also building upon his knowledge of tactics, as well as a special project: Ranma was attempting to utilise the same process he used for his Ki Attacks, the Hiryu Shoten Ha and the Moko Takabisha, but drawing upon his mana reserves instead of his ki reserves. This would truly blend his old skill with martial arts with his new skill with magic.

So far though, the process had been difficult. Mana and ki were two very different substances after all, and the process was long and frustrating. Had Ranma been anything like his father, Genma, or his would-be father-in-law, Soun, he probably would have given up on the project. But he wasn't (and all his fiancées praised Kami-sama for that) so he didn't. So far, the best he'd gotten was the ability to "bleed" small (but increasing) traces of mana into some of his pre-learned ki techniques in ways that complimented them. For instance, the Hiryu Shoten Ha was one of his more potent techniques, but was limited by the fact it needed both "cold" ki and "hot" ki, which meant that the "hotter" an opponent was, the more potent the blast. However, if they weren't emotionally burning, the blast was near harmless.

What Ranma had learned to do was infuse frost magic into his Soul of Ice. By reducing the temperature so drastically (sub-zero temperatures were easily within his reach now) it magnified the contrast to whatever heat his opponent was giving off, thus magnifying its potence. That was the only mana-boosted ki technique he'd really mastered so far. He'd had some results infusing lightning magic into his Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken though. What he was working on now was a way to utilise wind magic, and also to utilise his most basic of ki techniques, the Moko Takabisha, as the basis for a true Mana Technique. That wasn't working out so well.

He stood up, brushed down his saka, shook some water off his hiru and slid into a stance, ready to try again.

"Okay, here we go… Moko Takabisha!"

He reached, not into his ki reserves, but into his mana reserves, but to no effect; he just couldn't "channel" the way he wanted. He scowled in frustration; he could see the patterns, see the similarities, all that remained was to make them align. Some might have asked why he was using "Moko Takabisha" as a name for this new technique, had they done so he would have replied he wasn't, it was just the Moko Takabisha was the closest equivalent to what he wanted to do; siphon raw energy from his reserves and then project it through the air as a missile attack.

That was another similarity magic and martial arts shared; both functioned by channelling energy through the body in specific "patterns" or "programs". Any vocals involved in either primarily served to aid in focusing the mind on the desired pattern. That knowledge wasn't helping Ranma any though.

"MOKO TAKABISHA!"

As he went through the stance, he could feel the mana flowing from his reserves into his body, though it still failed to manifest. Revitalised by this first glimpse of success Ranma tried again.

"**MOKO TAKABISHA!"**

Finally, success! Ranma could feel the mana flowing from his reserves through his ki channels, manifesting as a glowing orb of blue-silver energy suspended between his palms.

"I- I did it. I did it! I-"

A thunderous rumble distracted him from his success, the energy dissipated as he turned his attention towards the source of the sound; the volume from his last invocation had shaken the mountains around him, which meant that the ledge above was collapsing in an avalanche.

"Oh sh…"

Whatever Ranma was about say was lost as several tons of ice, snow and rock hit him in the face, carrying him down the sheer drop into the jagged, rocky valley so far below. After several long seconds, all was silent again. One would have been forgiven for thinking that such an accident would have been the end of Ranma Saotome when he emerged spitting and cursing from the snowdrift. Of course, they would also be excused for feeling confused/faint when they realised that A: Ranma had literally passed through the snow without so much as a trace and B: Ranma was now semi-transparent and floating about a foot off the ground. He looked at his now see-through limbs and hissed in disgust.

"Man, I hate when this happens. Ah well, best get back to Sliverspine."

Ranma turned and floated towards his "base-camp", where he could restore himself to flesh and blood. One of the best parts about being an Otherworld Mage, as far as Ranma was concerned, was the quasi-immortality granted by having an Altar. Lethal trauma simply transmuted the Mage into an ethereal ghost-like entity of raw magical energy, at the cost of badly draining the Mage's mana reserves. Simply absorbing more mana would restore him to normal. Being no longer bound by the frailties (relatively speaking- this is Ranma Saotome we're talking about) of a physical form, Ranma sped towards his destination at incredible speed, passing through every physical barrier in his way, his mind turning back to the first time this had happened.

He had been forced to lead a small force of warriors to Petroglodyte because a Sorcerer was coming close to reconstructing a long-lost doomsday weapon; a Pyrodraulic Dynamo, a bizarre machine that could convert the ore under the ground's crust into magma, initiating violent volcanic eruptions. After smashing a way through its armour, Ranma had personally led his warriors into the machine to liberate the slaves. Unfortunately, somehow the self-destruct mechanism got activated. Ranma had managed to get all of his warriors and the slaves themselves out, but had been caught inside when the Dynamo detonated.

There had been a blinding flash, and a single moment of intense agony, like when he took a swallow of Akane's cooking, or her mallet hit him in the head. When his vision had cleared, he'd been floating above a deep, still bubbling, pit of molten lava. When he'd realised that he was actually dead, he'd gotten (much to his embarrassment) somewhat hysterical before Yuki and Yiku had shown him how to reconstitute himself. Since that day, he'd died a few times; he might be effectively invincible in combat, but carefully planned spells could still hit and injure him. As always, he could never be beaten the same way twice. Ranma shook the thoughts out of his head as Sliverspine appeared in his vision.

2 Weeks Later… 

Despite the rather disparaging events of his first success, Ranma was quite elated with the way things had progressed from there; he now had three true Mana Techniques- the Heaven's Wrath Streamer, a continuous stream of lightning that blasted from the user's palm, the Wind Blade, which allowed him to manipulate the wind to produce barely visible discs and spears that either bludgeoned, pierced or slashed the target, and the Frost Nova, an unstable globe of frigid mana that burst outwards as a freezing explosion when it hit its target. He was currently working on a fourth technique, which was why he'd climbed all the way to the top of Dalara Peaks this morning.

His Mana Techniques weren't the only things he was progressing with though; Ranma was now a 5th-level Elementalist, which meant that there was a celebratory party planned for him Castle de'Cuckoo. It wasn't anything especially noteworthy; it happened for all Otherworld Mages and was sign of recognition and congratulations that they were halfway there on the path to Archmage. Speaking of which…

Oh crud, the party! I'd almost forgotten about it! I'll never make it there on foot… wait… this looks like an ideal time to test my new technique…

Ranma turned towards the ledge, beyond which he could dimly see the island of Castle de'Cuckoo looming through the mist and fog.

Here goes nothing… 

Without a single hesitation, Ranma jogged towards the ledge and dived off. An instant later he rose back upwards and then flew off towards Castle de'Cuckoo, his triumphant exultation echoing through the air.

"Yahoo! It works! It actually works! Yes!"

Ranma was no stranger to auras; they were, in a way, his speciality. But the aura he was currently wrapped in was very different to what he considered "normal". Its colour was rich and silvery, far different to the intense blue of a battle aura or the deep red-tinged black of a rage aura and, rather than surging outwards like a cloud or billowing flame, it was tightly cropped and held closely to his body. Or so it seemed at first glance; a second, deeper look would have revealed that, from his shoulders, the aura flared out as a pair of massive wings, which Ranma was currently using to fly.

In shape, they were mostly formless, reminiscent of the wings of a Cloud-Manta, but Ranma was confident that, as he perfected the technique, they would become much more distinct. This was his first real success at truly blending mana and ki; though he had been able to infuse trace elements of mana into his ki attacks, and to use his ki attacks as basis for new "spells", he hadn't been able to truly merge the two into a single coherent energy source before.

Ranma swallowed the flush of triumph as the multitude of illogically twisting spires that composed Castle de'Cuckoo came into view. His mind now firmly on other matters, he soared towards the appropriate- yard? Window? He was unsure what to call it, but any concerns vanished at the sight of the party laid out in his honour- the first and only one of its kind he had ever experienced.

"I call a toast to our new brother-in-magic! To Sanma Raotome! No, to Rantome Saoma! No, uh, to, uh, ah, forget it, I need another drink."

The drunken head of the 5th-levels forgot what she was trying to say and grabbed for another tankard of the various rich alcohols imported from Elysium. Or raided from Elysium at least; Ranma had stolen these kegs himself, which was really aiding his popularity with the other 5th-levels. Ranma himself barely touched the alcohols; he'd seen the effects of drinking on his father, Soun and Happosai too often before to ever want to get truly drunk. Instead, he directed most of his attention towards the various Empyrean delicacies on the table; Phlog sashimi, Fall-Clams in piquant sauce, venison, game birds and a variety of other foods.

The party progressed quite amiably, with Ranma feeling like every single member of the 5th-levels had congratulated him on his prowess. Eventually, the party began to die down as most of the guests either fell asleep, passed out in drunken stupors, or stumbled away into suitably dark places for some "fun time" with their chosen partners. Ranma didn't even bother looking after those who left; it wasn't exactly uncommon in Otherworld Mage Schools, and amongst the other education Ranma had gained was actual sex education, rather than the childhood nonsense Genma had fed to him. Of course, seeing them stumbling away in couples brought his own fiancées to mind, and he remained lost in thought, idly picking at the remnants of the feast, until two of his fellows stumbled towards him.

Ranma had once had an extremely vivid nightmare, brought on by some of Akane's more deceptively tasteful food, where his girl-side and Ryoga had a baby together. Chano looked exactly like that fictitious child (and Ranma would ensure it stayed fictitious, he'd given Ryoga a particularly vicious thrashing in retaliation for that dream the next time he'd been attacked by him), though with the addition of bat-like wings, a second pair of arms and with green eyes. His girlfriend, Syra, was even stranger; black-skinned humanoid from the waist up, from the waist down she resembled some sort of crossbreed between a spider and a scorpion, with numerous glowing yellow jewel-like growths scattered across her body. Ranma had seen the two before, and talked to them on occasion; they were two of the Elementalists who'd been studying his curse.

"We've found it! We've got it figured out at last! We just need to use the paradoxical overload system!"

"What are you talking about?"

Ranma asked in confusion.

"Your curse, we've figured out the cure!"

"You've **what**!"

"It's so obvious we should have seen it right from the start! Now, the curse is a triggered spell, right? Cold water activates, hot water deactivates, like flipping a switch. Well, theoretically, if we subject you to both at one, the resultant logic paradox would causes the spell to burn up its energy, thus dispelling the curse and restoring you to normal! Well, relatively speaking anyway."

Ranma was speechless; after all this time, after all the pain and embarrassment, crushed hopes and broken dreams, could it be that his cure was finally at hand? Chano and Syra grinned at him.

"Well, what are you waiting for? To the baths!"

At a speed even Ranma had to admit was impressive, they lunged forward, seized him by the arms and raced away half-carrying and half-dragging him to one of the many hot-spring baths in Castle de'Cuckoo.

Hot springs aren't too common naturally in Empyrea; minimal volcanic activity and primarily vertical terrain meant that most natural sources of heated water couldn't get to the surface. Most hot-springs are thus artificial, created by Geomancers and Sorcerers hired specifically for that purpose. It's expensive and somewhat problematic, but most Empyreans consider it well worth the difficulties; the only major alternatives are swimming in icy rivers or a particularly unpleasant method consisting of stripping naked then rolling around in the snow.

All of this passed through Ranma's head as Chano and Syra burst through the doors and then bodily hurled him into the steaming water. Ranma's martial arts training saved him from any potential injuries that might have occurred, but a sudden dunking isn't exactly pleasant. Ranma surfaced, spitting out the water he'd accidentally sucked into his lungs, but was prevented from saying anything to the pair as Syra grabbed a bucket of cold water and dumped it over his head.

Ranma stifled a scream as the normal tingle resulting from the curse's activation was replaced instead by a tremendous pressure inside his head and savage surges of pain through his body. The pressure grew, the pain intensifying, until Ranma thought his head was about to burst like a rotten egg. Then, suddenly, it faded away. Chano and Syra smiled at him.

"That's it, the curse is broken… you're cured."

Ranma just stared at them silently, then got out of the bath, picked up another pail of cold water and dumped it over himself. When a look in a mirror confirmed he was still himself, he burst out laughing in pure, harmonious joy.

6 Weeks Later… 

"Their defences are broken! Smash the wall!"

Ranma cried. At his orders, his "strike team", consisting of 6 Storm Giants and 3 Yetis, charged forward and, in unison, smashed into the solid stonewall that encircled the castle of Yasman, a Geomancer of Decennia. It was a testament to both Yasman's magical prowess and to the construction skill of the Glebe that the wall withstood the impact of close to a dozen tons of solid muscle, though massive cracks split the unyielding rock. It also managed to withstand a second barrage before the third blow finally smashed a gaping hole through the solid rock, the wall collapsing behind them as Ranma's strike team surged into the courtyard.

Ranma, now a 7th-level Elementalist, and his Manahoars (he now had eight of the little creatures) charged over the rubble, his army eagerly racing behind him. Within the fortress, the fighting took on a particularly bloody turn. Frostwolves and Troggs savagely hacked and bashed each other; Storm Giants grappled with Taurocks and Seraphs ensnared Flummoxes in their webs and dragged them into the sky before dropping them to their doom.

Ranma grinned savagely when a cluster of boulders suddenly transformed themselves into Earthflings; he quickly called up a spell. Something resembling a large snowflake materialised in his right hand, which he threw at the Earthflings. It embedded itself into the ground within their ranks then erupted into a swirling vortex of large and jagged chunks of ice, savagely slashing and bludgeoning them to death.

Ranma's martial artist sixth sense suddenly screamed a warning at him. As Yasman gestured, conjuring impaling stalagmites that surged from the ground in a line from him to Ranma, Ranma himself effortlessly leapt over them. He easily landed on his feet in front of Yasman and grinned at him. Yasman angrily babbled at him in some tongue Ranma didn't recognize, then drew a spiked club and attacked.

Ranma decided to toy with the furious Geomancer; he couldn't hit Ranma and whilst he was trying he wasn't supporting his own minions with his Geomancy. Yasman roared in rage as Ranma effortlessly dodged or blocked his every attack whilst never making an attack of his own. When his sixth sense suddenly screamed at him to get out of their, Ranma instantly fell upon his instincts; he smashed Yasman's club into splinters and then backflipped away from him, landing some 30 metres away as a Flurry's Storm Crystal landed directly on top of Yasman. Yasman was badly injured by the implosion but survived, whilst his Manahoars were crushed into gravel.

Yasman roared in rage and fury as he realised his forces were losing, desperately he reclaimed the souls of his Manahoars and retreated, Ranma's forces pursuing him, knowing that he would be heading for the most precious and powerful object an Otherworld Mage had; his Altar. To win this little brush-war, Ranma had to desecrate Yasman's Altar. It wouldn't kill him- James would simply resurrect him elsewhere- but it would banish him from Decennia long enough for Ranma to accomplish his business.

As Yasman tried desperately to rally his forces in a last-ditch defense, Ranma's strike team suddenly reappeared, most likely having crushed, maimed or gutted every other defender elsewhere. Yasman unleashed a shower of razor-sharp rock shards at Gorehorn, the first summoned (and apparently nastiest) of Ranma's Yetis. Though the spell inflicted numerous vicious gashes and cuts, all they seemed to do was worsen the already nasty temperament of the notoriously savage and brutal beast. As Gorehorn did his best to rip Yasman's head off and eat it, Ranma summoned a Sac-Doctor with the Conversion spell.

The Sac-Doctor grabbed a mortally wounded Storm Giant and carried it over to Yasman's Altar, where it floated to the position above the flume of purified mana spewing from the center of the Altar. An intense storm of magical energy burst into existence around the Altar, a beam of crackling energy arcing from the spasmodically jerking body of the Storm Giant to impact with Yasman, who screamed once in defiance before Gorehorn seized the advantage of his momentary distraction to gut him with a tusk. Yasman's body slumped to the ground and disappeared in a surge of mana as the Storm Giant's corpse exploded in a shower of blood, its essence pouring into Ranma as the Altar disintegrated into nothing. Ranma and his followers raised their voice in a roar of triumph as Yasman's surviving forces either fled or surrendered.

2 Weeks Later… 

The ceremony officially decreeing Ranma Saotome a 10th-level Elementalist was jam-packed. Everybody seemed to want to see the guy who'd clawed his way up the ranks from no power to complete master of magic in half a year. It was an unheard of achievement, never before accomplished by any Mage for any God. Stratos himself had materialised to conduct the ceremony, that's how unusual and noteworthy this was.

Ranma himself had barely spoken a word through the ceremony –not that he was really needed to speak at all- and kept his silence through the subsequent meal. He didn't eat much either- primarily because a massive feast was being prepared for him back in Sliverspine, all of his followers trekking from across Dalara Peaks to be there for him before he returned to his home plane.

And that was what was bothering him: when he'd come to Otherworld, Ranma had only wanted to get home again. But now that he'd been here for 6 months, Ranma wasn't so sure he wanted to go back. At the very least, he didn't like the idea of abandoning Dalara Peaks. He shifted slightly as he suddenly heard Stratos' voice inside his head, not for the first time.

"Does something trouble you Ranma? You should be feeling happy; you're going home at last."

"I know, but, I…"

"You don't want to leave Dalara Peaks, do you? You will miss your followers and controlling your territory, won't you?"

"Yes."

"You needn't be so sad. The spell does work both ways; you can return to Otherworld as easily as you leave it. Do not worry; I will leave Dalara Peaks as your demesne until and unless you decide to abandon it permanently. Now go, return to your followers- they will want to say goodbye to you in their own way before you leave."

Ranma nodded silently, in a much less melancholy mood, then excused himself from the party. He called up his wings of mana and ki and softly flew away to Dalara Peaks.

_Wow, this is longest chapter to date. Ranma heads home to Nerima at last. But how will the Nerima Wrecking Crew take this new Martial Mage Ranma? Will Ranma ever deign to share his secret of how to cure a Jusenkyo curse? How will Kasumi take to a sudden infestation of Manahoars? Will Kuno change his title or will Ranma electrocute him to death first? Find out in the next chapter! Review please, and remember that I'm always open to suggestions._

_These are just things I thought up for this fic, they're not supposed to be based on/named after real things._

_Saka: a piece of clothing developed and utilised in Empyrea, almost always enchanted with the Water Repulsion spell. In appearance it vaguely resembles the bastard offspring of a t-shirt and a poncho; an extremely loose, almost blanket-like garb that is pulled on over the head and worn over normal clothing, with wide sleeves that can easily conceal a variety of items, that drapes across the wearer in numerous folds. Its design and material serves to keep heat in and water out, essential in Empyrea's cold, damp climate._

_Hiru: an Empyrean hat, noted for its waterproofing and ability to retain warmth and distinguished by its meter-wide (at minimum) flexible brim. This causes the semi-constant rain and snow of Empyrea to simply drop off a safe distance from the wearer's body._

_Cloud-Manta: a large air-breathing manta ray that soars through the clouds. A peaceful and gentle creature that feeds by skimming through clouds, sometimes tamed as steeds for couriers or, more rarely, aerial warriors._

_Phlog: take an ordinary wild goldfish and pump it up until it's a meter long. Give it the fangs of a barracuda, the tongue of a chameleon, spined fins and powerful frog-like legs that allow it to move about on land (albeit temporarily). Fairly common and quite tasty, though it can be mildly poisonous if prepared improperly._

_Fall-Clams: these massive oyster-like shellfish are harvested for both their meat and their pearls. They get their name because they favour growing on the rocks beneath and up salt-waterfalls._

_Oh, a just a little side-note describing what the Manahoars and Sac-Doctors of each God look like in this fic._

_Stratos:_

_Manahoar: picture the love child of Ryo-Ohki (from Tenchi Muyo!) and a System Bug (from Oh My Goddess!), basically an eight-legged cabbit wearing a tiara._

_Sac-Doctor: a humanoid vortex of lightning, ice chunks and wind._

_Charnel:_

_Manahoar: a repulsive amalgamation of diseased, furless monkey, lizard, rat and some sort of flying insect._

_Sac-Doctor: a bloodstained humanoid in a grisly "tribal" mask decked with body parts and carrying a BIG needle._

_James:_

_Manahoar: a vaguely dome-shaped rock the size of a football with four insectile legs on its underside and veins of crystal running through it._

_Sac-Doctor: a vaguely humanoid mound of earth and stones._

_Persephone:_

_Manahoar: faceless, winged "angelic" humanoids._

_Sac-Doctor: hooded, robed figures._

_Pyro:_

_Manahoar: an insectile mechanoid._

_Sac-Doctor: a wheezing, clanking steam or clockwork-powered mechanoid with assorted tools._


	5. Chapter 5

S .5 Part Five 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** grateful for the feedback and for the notes on the Quiet Thief and Noisy Thief Styles, but just one thing to point out: Don't bother putting website addresses in your reviews, FFN automatically censors them, so you just have a confusing blank space in your review. To those of you who commented there wasn't much Sacrifice stuff; don't worry, Ranma isn't done in Otherworld yet, and I plan to have him drag the NWC along with him for the ride. In fact, I may not have him open up a can of magic-boosted whoop-ass on his rivals just yet, I may have him drag them along to Otherworld and let them see what he can do now.

Part Four: Return to Nerima

The air in Sliverspine Village was both joyous and sorrowful. Joyous for their master Ranma, who was returning to his home at last, but sorrowful that he was leaving them. Beings from all over Dalara Peaks had gathered here for this celebration. The Frostwolves banged on drums of tanned hide stretched tightly over wooden shells, clacked on bleached skulls with well-picked bones or simply howled raucously to the sky. At the center of all the attention, Ranma smiled nervously, idly helping himself to whatever delicacy caught his eye and lifting his jewelled goblet (which none would allow to empty) in response to any of the (often drunk) toasts proposed to him.

Sylphs danced gracefully by the center fire, or added their own music to the choir in the form of mournful piping or stringed instruments. Brainiacs mentally juggled items or put on aerial acrobatics for the amusement of those below. Seraphs idly gossiped and tittered to each other whilst Flurries played games with the Frostwolf cubs. Ranma finally shook himself loose of well wishers and, grabbing a last handful of food, made his way to the center of the village.

"My followers. No, check that, my friends…"

All of those still sober enough to be conscious instantly stopped whatever they were doing and turned their attention towards their beloved benevolent overlord.

"In the time that I've know you all, I've come to regard you with deepest affection. But, though it hurts me dearly to say this, the time has come for me to part ways with you all."

A chorus of sobs and tearful exclamations echoed these words.

"It's nothing personal, but I've been away from my family -or rather, my other family- for too long. I need to see them again. I will always cherish the time we have spent together, and I will always carry your memory in my heart. I'd like to think that you'll all miss me too."

Once again a chorus echoed his words, this time of affirmations.

"But though I say goodbye for now, I do not say goodbye forever. Rest assured that I will come back to you all… especially you little guys."

Ranma smiled and bent down onto one knee to pet Ryo, the leader of his pack of eight Manahoars.

"Be good and keep your fellows out of trouble, okay Ryo? I'm expecting you to keep them in line."

"Nyaan!"

Ranma stood up and walked towards the empty fields, his subjects pressing in around him to wish him final farewells and to express their hopes for his safe returns. Just before reaching the outskirts of the village he bumped into Gorehorn, the Yeti. Before he could say anything the normally sullen and taciturn beast grabbed him in claws that could shred rock and enfolded him in a (non-lethal) crushing bearhug. Once he dropped Ranma, and Ranma came back to his senses, Ranma smiled, shook Gorehorn's paw, and continued into the fields, the final cries of his followers echoing behind him. Once there, he instantly cleared his mind of everything but what he had to do.

Silently, he raised his arms, his eyes closing as the memorized patterns of mana instantly flared to life upon his consciousness. Slowly, with increasing speed, his hands moved through the gestures, the words of power spilling from his lips with an almost melodious quality. Eyes open now, he worked through the pattern, the energy visibly taking shape before him as he gestured and whispered, building and pulsing until it erupted in a brilliant surge of pure magical power.

Ranma shook his head to clear the last lingering glare from his eyes; the only thing he hated about teleportation. When he saw his surroundings, he pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He was back in Nerima! He was home again! Ranma laughed loudly and, as if in response, thunder rolled. He glanced upwards and, after a split-second's hesitation, reached out with a tiny tendril of his magic. With that slightest of influence, the notoriously unpredictable weather of Nerima broke into a torrential storm, the sun blocked by thick storm clouds and the rain pouring down upon the joyous face of Nerima's greatest (certainly best-known) martial artist.

Ranma smiled in joy and started towards the Tendo Dojo, pausing after a few short steps. Had anyone been around, they wouldn't have believed their eyes as Ranma held out his hand like someone expecting a hand out and promptly had a lightning bolt strike his open palm. Had they still been conscious, they definitely would have fainted when the glare faded to reveal an unharmed and still smiling Ranma, with a white-hot ball of raw electrical current sitting in the palm of his hand.

Ranma laughed again as the electricity arced and surged from his palm across his body, for all the world reminiscent of a friendly dog confronted with its long-absent master, before he dissipated it with a casual shrug. He resumed his trek towards the Tendo Dojo, smiling in anticipation of the welcome he would receive. His smile took on an altogether darker and wickeder tone when he thought about the nasty shock (pun intended) his enemies were in for.

Kasumi looked up at the peal of thunder, surprised (albeit mildly) at how such a vicious storm could blow up from out of nowhere. No one else seemed to have noticed, or at they had noticed they didn't seem to care about it. The whole house seemed to have lost something when Ranma had disappeared two months ago. Cologne had proclaimed ignorance as to his fate, but she had sworn he was still alive somewhere. Her father and Mr. Saotome would have sworn it was an Amazon trick to kidnap Ranma, but they had proven to be telling the truth; the Cat Café was still in Nerima, and all of them (even Mousse) seemed to be as listless and depressed by Ranma's absence as everyone else who knew him.

In fact, the only one not upset about him being gone was Kuno, who alternated between bragging about having chased away the "sorcerous fiend Saotome", berating Ranma for being too much of a coward to fight him in fair combat and accusing him of both stealing away the "Pig-Tailed Girl" and leaving Akane still under the thrall of some bewitchment. This, naturally, meant that Akane's regular beatings of him had intensified.

She sighed (not that anyone heard it, or else they would have immediately started crowding around her; this is Kasumi we're talking about) and looked around the living room. Mr. Saotome and her father had brought the Shogi board in (they'd been playing outside, when the storm broke it wrecked the game and activated Genma's curse) and were starting one of their endless games over again. Nabiki was sitting at the table, doing something that involved her calculator whilst drinking a can of soft drink, and Akane was watching TV with P-Chan. She started when she heard the sound of someone knocking on the door.

"Oh my. Now who could that possibly be in this weather?"

She went to the door and opened it, though she didn't recognize the person standing there; he wore a sort of overcoat and his features were hidden beneath the oversized brim of the hat he wore. As if seeing a stranger at the door wasn't enough of a surprise, he spoke as though he knew her.

"Hi Kasumi. How have you been?"

"Oh… do I know you?"

"What? Come on Kasumi, don't you recognize me?"

He pushed the brim of his hat upwards, coincidentally at that very moment a bolt of lightning struck nearby, providing illumination for his face. Kasumi audibly gasped.

"Ranma!"

"So you do recognize me. Now, can I come in? 'Cause it's really pouring out here."

"Oh my, come in, come in! We've all been so worried about you!"

"I'll bet you have." Kasumi, naturally, missed the slight sarcasm in Ranma's voice, especially considering how she was hurrying into the lounge-room to announce Ranma's return. Or at least, that was what she had intended to do; Ranma's firm but gentle grasp on her wrist brought her to a halt.

"No, I want to be the one to tell them I'm back… I want to see the looks on their faces."

Now, Kasumi doesn't really have a not-nice bone in her body. She does have her limits, but generally she sees the positive side of everything. Thus, any interpretation of Ranma's words that would make the expected deed something other than an innocent request never occurred to her. She simply smiled that smile of hers and let Ranma pass.

Akane sighed and stroked P-Chan's ears, blissfully ignorant (as always) that her beloved pet was really the Eternally Lost Boy, Ryoga.

"Oh P-Chan, it's just not the same without Ranma around is it? Things are so quiet and dull now."

"Why, I never knew you cared tomboy."

The sound of that familiar and missed voice inspired different reactions throughout the room. Genma and Soun knocked their Shogi board sprawling (though that may have been a deliberate move on Soun's part; he was losing again). Nabiki pulled a spit-take, almost choking on her soft drink. P-Chan keeled over in shock. And Akane spun around so fast she almost got whiplash, her mouth falling open as she began sputtering, unable to choose between hurling herself into her fiancé's arms and never letting go and pounding him for leaving and getting her so worried in the first place. As she tried to decide, Ranma laughed and took off his hat before petting her on the head.

"I missed you too Akane. Hey pops, how's it hanging? Hey, what's wrong? You all look like you've seen a ghost?"

"R-Ranma?"

"Boy?"

"Saotome? You're back?"

"Whoo! Ranma! You're back at last! Let me welcome you with open arms!"

True to form the perverted Grandmaster of Anything Goes swooped on his reluctant heir from the rafters, splashing him with cold water before glomping onto his chest. No sooner had Happosai latched on when he let out a:

"Huh?"

Before Ranma, with a particularly feral sound, ripped Happosai off of his chest and thrust him out the open door with enough force that he left a crater in the concrete wall. No sooner had he dropped to the ground then a lightning bolt dropped from the sky right on top of him. Not that the people who reluctantly shared their house with him noticed (nor would they have cared); they were too busy staring at a soaking wet, but still undeniably male, Ranma Saotome. Naturally enough, instant bedlam broke out, with everyone wanting to know the details about how he cured himself, as well as where he'd been. They were all ecstatic about his cure, well, all of them bar four.

Nabiki was angry because no Ranma-Chan meant lower profit margins for her; she'd sold out almost her entire stock of Ranma-Chan photos to Kuno and the other boys who bought them (though she had realised that maybe she might be able to reduce the impact by selling pictures of Ranma-Kun to some of the girls in Furinkan; Ranma was rather popular amongst the female population, but none wanted to challenge Ranma's fiancée brigade for the rights to date him) and a cured Ranma meant no way to replenish her stock.

Happosai was angry (or would be when he woke up anyway) because his favourite target for glomping and groping was no more- and he'd never gotten Ranma-Chan to model any lingerie for him! Not even so much as a single measly stinking bra!

P-Chan was angry that Ranma had gotten a cure before he had- or even that he'd gotten one at all. And he and Genma were both angry because Ranma refused to share his secret of how he'd gotten cured.

So they all crowded him, questioning him, until he slipt out from their ranks and waved his hands to ward them off.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, take it easy! I know I've been gone a while, and I will tell you all about everything that happened to me, but right now I'm tired and I'd like to get some sleep; it's school tomorrow, right?"

Taking advantage of their confusion, he silently slipped out of the living room and headed towards the guest room he shared with his father. Once there, he closed the door and used another spell to freeze it shut; he didn't want anyone barging in on him, as he really was tired. The spell would last for at least a few hours. He took of his hiru and saka and tossed them into the corner before falling onto his futon.

_There's no place like home._

Ranma was confused for a moment when he woke up the next day; his sleeping furs were gone, the firepit was out and all the various knick-knacks and junk that littered his hut were gone. Then he heard someone snoring close by, and remembered that he wasn't in Sliverspine anymore: he was back in the Tendo Dojo. He sat up and looked over towards his still-sleeping father, still in panda form. After staring at him silently for a minute, he got up and walked out of the room, surprised to discover that he had awoken before everyone, even Kasumi.

He headed towards the kitchen and started getting some things together to cook for breakfast. That was another of Ranma's talents that no one knew about; Ranma was quite a good cook, having developed it on his training journey (the alternative was die from malnutrition caused by eating nothing but Genma's lousy camp rice), but he never cooked for the Tendos because

A: his father said it wasn't manly (though that had never seemed to stop him eating Ranma's cooking on their journey) and

B: Kasumi always cooked- well, except on those occasions when she was foolish enough to allow Akane into the kitchen.

Normally, Ranma would have woken up to one of Kasumi's delicious (or Akane's toxic) meals. But seeing as how he was up and everyone else was asleep, he decided to cook breakfast himself. He'd had to feed himself in Dalara Peaks, and old habits died hard. Besides, unlike his father he wasn't some good-for-nothing freeloader; Kasumi had enough on her hands dealing with the other tasks involved with running the household, and her family gave her no help at all (well, Akane tried, but she usually ended up making an even worse mess), so he figured he should help out. Cooking breakfast was one way to do so.

When Kasumi woke up, it was to the faint sounds of someone in the kitchen. Naturally, this confused her; it hadn't happened since before her mother died and she was the only one who did anything in the kitchen now. Oh, Akane tried now and then, but she never woke up this early. So who could it be?

Kasumi stepped through the kitchen door with her usual "sneak up on paranoid martial artists" quietness. And blinked in surprise at what she saw: Ranma Saotome, preparing a meal. She watched in stunned silence as Ranma moved quickly and gracefully about the kitchen, doing all the hundreds of little things involved in preparing a meal. Now, Ranma had always been graceful, and there were times, deep down, when Kasumi agreed with Ranma's declaration of Akane being clumsy- compared to him, she was. But Ranma seemed to have gotten even more graceful in the time he'd been gone. Watching him move, Kasumi had a sudden bizarre image of a cherry blossom dancing on the wind.

"Ranma?"

Ranma yelped in shock, sending the plate of food flying into the air. Kasumi gasped, but faster then her eyes could follow Ranma caught the plate and then snatched every single scrap of food from the air, piling it back on the plate. He sighed in relief and then turned to her.

"Oh, it's only you Kasumi. I'm sorry; did I wake you?"

"Oh, no, I didn't know you-"

"Could cook? Oh yeah, I was the one who had to do it for us both on our training journey- Pops can't make much more than camp rice, and we couldn't live on that alone, could we? Besides, we've been freeloading here for over a year now, and it's about time we started doing something to lessen our drain on your finances."

Kasumi was shocked; that was the most articulate speech she had ever had Ranma give. And the contents of that speech were pretty shocking too. Unable to think of anything to say, she simply started helping Ranma set up for their ever-hungry family.

"This is great Kasumi! You've really outdone yourself today."

"Thank you father, but I didn't cook this; Ranma did."

That statement caused a ripple of shock to engulf the entire table, everyone staring at Ranma in shock, except Kasumi, who, like Ranma, ignored their reactions and continued eating. Whilst Genma began berating Ranma, who simply ignored him and began swiping food from Genma's plate faster than the greedy half-panda could defend it, Akane began fuming.

_Not only is he a better martial artist, now he's a better cook than me too? RANMA NO BAKA!_

Before she could even think about expressing her displeasure, Ranma suddenly glanced towards the clock and shot up.

"Crud, we gotta go- we're going to be late!"

Akane blinked at this sudden series of events, then a glance towards the clock confirmed what Ranma had said. She'd wondered where Nabiki had gone come to think of it.

"Ranma- hey Ranma, wait for me!"

_All right, chapter 5 is up and done. I'm very pleased to have had so many positive reviews, especially considering how this is the first real fic I've ever written. In the next chapter, the rest of the NWC finds out about Ranma's return, Happosai starts plotting to achieve the return of Ranma-Chan, Ranma's Manahoars manage to find their way from Otherworld to Nerima and Ranma starts explaining just where he has been and what he's become._


	6. Chapter 6

S .5 Part Six 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** I'm very happy this is turning out to be popular, but just one question: why have several people asked about the future pairings? I don't think I ever mentioned romance in the story. I've no problem with adding them, but I should mention that, when it comes to Ranma, I personally support some very rare and obscure pairing: Ranma/Harem (that's Ranma+Akane+Ukyo+Shampoo all at once- I've only seen it in one fic before; Cube of Chaos) and Nabiki/Ryoga. If you have a fiancée you'd like to "win" the war, then mention them in your reviews, I'll consider them. In other news, from this chapter on I may start putting "mini-polls" at the end of the chapter, a list of scenes I can think of to add to the next chapter that I want you to tell me whether you want them or not. See the end of this chapter for more details. Oh, and all the characters will be mentioned as being one year older; this is set after Season 7 of the anime, which means Ranma and Genma have been in Nerima for a year. The OVAs and Movies have not occurred, though I may use elements from them in my storyline.

Part 5: Chaos in Class! The Rising of the Storm!

Ukyo sighed as the teacher began to call the roll. Her fiancé, Ranma, had been gone for two months now, and it still hurt whenever the teacher mentioned his name in the rollcall.

"Ranma Saotome?"

"Present"

Ukyo's head twisted towards the sound of that sorely missed voice so fast her neck audibly cracked. There, sitting in his old seat, was her previously absent fiancé.

"Ran-chan!"

In a single swift move, she thrust herself from her desk and leapt at Ranma, arms open in a glomping style she'd… "borrowed"… from Shampoo. The romantic part of her mind (which, it had to be said, was a considerable portion of her psyche) foresaw that Ranma would return her passionate embrace with equal fervour, vowing never to leave her side again in between deep kisses. Her smaller and more logical mind recognized that that wasn't likely to happen, and the far more likely turn of events was that Ranma would be paralysed, remaining stiff as a board in her embrace until his most violent fiancée sent him into LEO via her mallet or foot. At least she'd still get the chance to have him in her arms, if only for a little while.

The very last possibility that could have occurred to her was that Ranma would somehow evade her Glomp, sliding out from her grasp like he'd been greased with butter (that thought promptly inspired a series of, shall we say, more pleasant but diverting images, which she quickly dispelled). She gazed up at Ranma with a rather hurt look, only to receive an apologetic grin and a glance towards the homeroom teacher.

"Miss Kuonji, please return to your seat."

Ukyo did so, though for the rest of the morning most of her attention was fixated on Ranma. But then again, so was most everyone's, especially when it came time to take the test they'd been studying for the past two months. Out of habit, the teacher put a test on Ranma's desk, despite the fact he'd been gone for two months and rarely did the tests anyway. To everyone's surprise, Ranma actually started studying the papers before grabbing a pen and beginning to write. To make things even more incredible, Ranma finished well before the rest of the class. Only Ranma knew that he'd been studying this particular topic for six months, and that was the way things were going to stay.

The moment lunch occurred, Ukyo was on Ranma like a shot, latching tightly as she could onto his arm whilst questioning where he'd been and what'd happened and what he'd been doing at a hundred miles an hour. Akane was extremely annoyed, because not only was Ranma "flirting" with Ukyo again even though he'd only just got back, he still refused to say anything about where he'd been. She and Ukyo began arguing, Ranma, for once, not saying a word, but before their argument could grow violent (which would have resulted in the inevitable LEO Punt for Ranma), they were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Tatewaki Kuno, Furinkan High's biggest pain-in-the-neck.

"What-hold! What is this? The foul sorcerer Ranma Saotome has returned! How dare you provoke the wrath of the righteous Tatewaki Kuno by returning to both this place and your perverted ways!"

Ranma somehow shook Ukyo off his arm, slapped his forehead and groaned theatrically.

"By the Storm Lord, I think my IQ dropped by 20 points just listening to that garbage! Who the hell are you anyway? What grudge do you bear against me?"

That remark prompted confused stares from everyone. Ukyo and Akane glanced at their fiancé, and were not especially reassured when he slyly winked at them. They had to admit though, Kuno did look pretty amusing with his mouth dangling open as he stood there gobsmacked. After a minute, he managed to pull himself back together, reassuming his pompous attitude and posture.

"Explain yourself vile knave! How dare you claim not to know the most noble Tatewaki Kuno!"

Ranma shrugged casually and replied

"Well, you know how it is: you climb all the way to the top, you tend to forget the name of each and every single insignificant little bug you've squashed on your way."

The look on Kuno's face was absolutely priceless. Akane quickly looked around, hoping to see her sister- to be more precise, her sister and her camera. She didn't care how much it'd cost her; she HAD to get a picture of this!

"Don't you know who I am!"

"Obviously not dumbass!"

Called someone in the crowd. Kuno was so focused on Ranma that he apparently didn't hear it.

"I am the rising star of Furinkan High! Tatewaki Kuno, age 18, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan Hi-yi-yi-yi-yi!"

That little statement had been just what Ranma was waiting for; the moment Kuno began declaring his title he lashed out with a Heaven's Wrath Streamer. Kuno shrilled and buzzed, engulfed in an aura of crackling sparks thanks to the coruscating stream of lightning that arced from Ranma's open hand to Kuno's head. As Kuno's spasmodic jerking began to grow feebler, Ranma cut off the flow of current, because

A: Kuno wasn't worth the effort to kill him,

B: Ranma didn't want to have to explain his new-found acceptance of killing just yet and

C: Ranma couldn't afford to waste the mana.

With the energy gone, Kuno silently fainted, falling with a faint sigh to the ground where he lay there and sizzled softly. Ranma walked up and idly gave the char-grilled body a kick.

"I swear by the Lord of the Heavens, I'll cure you of your delusional nonsense even if I have to kill you in the process."

"That's pretty much a given event if you keep frying him like that."

Said Ukyo.

"You say that like it actually matters."

Ranma replied, walking away from the two silent fiancées.

_Meanwhile, in the Principal's Office…_

"No arguments Principal- I QUIT!"

Principal Kuno sputtered and waved his hands trying to think something –anything- to stop yet another teacher from leaving his employ. As usual, nothing occurred, leaving him unable to do anything but watch as Ranma's homeroom teacher walked out of his straw-hut-like office. He sighed in annoyance.

"Oh no. Now where me gonna get a new homeroom teacher from?"

He blinked as a memory of a particular teacher surged into his brain, a homeroom teacher who specialised in dealing with "trouble" students. He dove into his paperwork and pulled out a resume, laughing loudly at the name on it. Miss Hinako Ninomiya- if anyone could discipline that pest Ranma Saotome, it was she. He reached for the phone and began dialling.

_Meanwhile, at the Tendo Dojo…_

"Why that snot-nosed little punk! How dare he! How dare he cure himself and ruin a poor little old man's fun like that! Well, I got news for you Ranma my boy, you ain't beaten me yet! I'll get you to model some underwear for me, just see if I don't!"

Happosai chuckled evilly as he read a Jusenkyo Products Mail Catalogue, focusing on the special, limited-time offer for Real Nyannichaun.

_Meanwhile, in the Basement…_

The air suddenly split open, a shimmering wound in the dimensional fabric bursting apart in the reality of Nerima. A strange, formless, shadowy shape crept and scurried forth from the doorway before it shrank in upon itself, sealing itself away and trapping the creature in this reality. Eight pairs of eyes glowed in the darkness as the Beast from Beyond voiced its terrible cry:

"Nyaan!"

_I know this is something of a short chapter compared to the previous ones, but I've so many ideas to choose from it isn't funny. So what I'm going to do is to let you, the reviewers, decide. Below is a list of scenarios that I've thought up to serve as the main focus of the next chapter. Once this chapter is posted, I'm going to wait 1-3 days and then note the reviews. The scenario with the most votes will be the basis of the next chapter. If I receive a lot of inspiration, or just think I can manage it, then I may cover the second-most popular choice in the same chapter. I'll set up a new poll once these are exhausted, though I'm likely to consider scenarios you post in your reviews. The arrival of every Ranma Anime fan's favourite Chi Vampire, Miss Hinako, and her subsequent battle with Ranma will occur, but at a later date- I need to repossess my copy of OVA #4 "Stormy Weather Comes to School! Growing Up with Miss Hinako" first._

_Happosai gets his dose of Nyannichaun, and challenges Ranma to a battle where, if Ranma loses, he gets splashed with the cursed water from the Spring of Drowned Young Girl. Does Happosai have a clue what he's doing? Hell no! Does he stand a pickled egg's chance in hell of winning? Doubt it. Does he have any idea that Ranma can cure himself at will? Nope._

_The Amazons discover that Ranma's back in town. How will Cologne deal with the fact Ranma can nullify and counter every mystical trinket or magical potion she comes up with? And how will Shampoo take the fact that Ranma can now evade her every Glomp Attack? As for Mousse, well, metal does conduct electricity you know…_

_Ryoga finally pushes the whole "P-Chan" thing too far for his own good. Ranma's sick and tired for getting smacked around because of Ryoga's cursed form, and finally reveals it to the whole Tendo Dojo. How will Ryoga seek revenge?_

_Ranma decides he's been separated from his mother long enough, and decides to invite her first to the Tendo Dojo and from there to Sliverspine… and he's going to tell her EVERYTHING about what happened on the training journey, including his father's multiple engagements and the trip to Jusenkyo. Naturally enough, Genma is extremely attached to his skin, so he tries to prevent this from happening. And how will his mother react to the fact her little boy is now the most powerful (and only) Martial Mage in existence?_

_On a "day-trip" out of Nerima, Ranma accidentally encounters Sailor Moon and the Sailor Scouts battling a Yoma. He destroys it effortlessly with a well-placed Crashing Shock Bolt spell, but now the Sailor Scouts are after him- someone that powerful just can't be allowed to run around without supervision, can they? And if they decided he's a threat to Crystal Tokyo… oh boy. Ranma has his hands full trying to dissuade the Sailor-Suited Soldiers of Love and Justice, but the price if he fails (death or wearing a fuku- and he's not sure which is worse) doesn't bear thinking about. Now, I know next to nothing about Sailor Moon, besides the fact they're magical girls who use elemental powers to fight monsters that feed on negative emotions and are time-warped (come from the past, fight for the future), so I'll need advice if you want me to use this scenario. I only mentioned it because a reviewer in chapter 4 (__Shakeval__) suggested it._

_Herb, Mint and Lime come to Nerima, seeking their Opening Ladle (or whatever it's called- I only know the Anime, so I need info about it and the Musk Dynasty too). Herb may have the blood of a dragon flowing in his/her veins, but will that be enough to stand up to Ranma's Thunder Blast spell?_


	7. Chapter 7

S .5 Part Seven 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** All right, most of you suggested I avoid the Sailor Moon scenario, and I agree; I know nothing about it and this fanfic can do fine without it. Just two things about the scenarios: Ranma's battle with Miss Hinako is a given, I just need to refamiliarize myself with her and the OVA she shows up in, secondly I'm going to use all of them, I just wanted to know which ones you wanted to see first (or didn't want to see at all). One final thing: when this is over, how would you feel about me doing "Alternate Universe/Side Stories", where Ranma chose a different God in Chapter 2?

Part 6: Attack of the Amazons!

Ukyo was very happy. Ranma –HER Ranchan- was back from wherever the violent tomboy jokingly referred to as his fiancée had sent him. True, he seemed a little… "different", but Ukyo attributed that to stress and being away from his real fiancée for so long. Ukyo's good mood was suddenly shattered by an all-too familiar sound; a sound dreaded throughout Nerima as a portent of doom- or at least considerable pain and property damage. It was the sound of a bike's bell ringing, followed by a female voice exclaiming

"Nihao!"

Ukyo pulled out her battle spatula in preparation for a fight as Shampoo landed her bicycle nearby. She simply grinned and sauntered over to Ukyo, with a delivery box clutched in her hand.

"Here your order"

She said, in her usual perky tone of voice. Ukyo blinked in confusion.

"Whatcha mean, sugar?"

"Shampoo, not Sugar! Sugar still in village. Anyway, this your order ramen from Cat Cafe."

"What are you talking about? Why would I order ramen from the Cat Café?"

"Shampoo wonder that too, great-grandmother get phone-call order and tell Shampoo it for you. But anyway- here your order, you pay now."

"What? No way! I didn't order it, I'm not paying for it!"

"You try to cheat Shampoo? Shampoo bring you ramen, you pay for ramen!"

Ukyo tightened her grip on her spatula as Shampoo assumed a fighting stance. That was when the one thing -if not the only thing- that could stop the impending battle appeared on the screen.

"Hey, what are you two doing? What's up?"

The effect of Shampoo was considerable. The delivery box fell unnoticed from her hand to the ground, her eyes opened wider than Ukyo believed was humanly possible and her jaw dropped open.

"AIREN!"

With that banshee-like cry, Shampoo leapt at Ranma, reaching a speed even Ukyo didn't know she had. She was so fast that Ranma, despite the fact he effortlessly dodged Ukyo's identical Glomp attack earlier that morning, failed to avoid it.

Ukyo would normally have been enraged by what Shampoo was doing. In fact, she initially started getting angry at what Shampoo was doing, but then noticed just how tightly Shampoo was clinging to Ranma, as though reassuring herself that he was real. She was speaking rabidly and emotionally in what Ukyo logically assumed to be her native tongue, and Ukyo could have sworn she saw tears in Shampoo's eyes. That was disturbing.

What was even more disturbing was Ranma's reaction. As Ukyo knew, there were several things that could affect Ranma's composure:

Attacks on his manhood- though no longer as effective, now that he'd, according to Akane, apparently cured himself.

Acts of intimacy- being embraced, touched or even approached by a girl in a romantic manner was one of the easiest ways to get Ranma flustered.

Girls' crying- Ranma had his own rough code of chivalry, and the one thing he hated more than anything else was for girls to cry because of him. Ukyo had known him to attempt to comfort girls he wasn't that close to, or even actively disliked.

Taking that knowledge into consideration, Ranma should thus be alternatively paralyzed and desperately attempting to comfort Shampoo, as well as in mortal terror of Akane appearing on the scene (as she always seemed to do) and smashing him with her mallet. She quickly looked around, afraid thinking of Akane would make her appear and do just that. When no livid mallet-wielding shorthaired tomboy appeared on the scene, she returned her attention to Ranma and Shampoo. This confirmed that, yes, Ranma was still being glomped and yes, he still seemed to be unaffected by it.

The look on Ranma's face was blank, as though he didn't really care what was happening, or at least as though he was disinterested in the turn of events. His demeanour was of solid ice; he seemed as cold and empty of emotion as an icicle. It was unnerving. When he looked at Shampoo though, Ukyo could swear that she saw a tiny glimpse of compassion in his eyes. Though that ought to make her mad, it really served to make her relieved; it was a sign that there was still something of the old Ranchan inside this newly returned Ranma. Finally, Shampoo seemed to calm down, which prompted a soft smile from Ranma.

"You feel better now? Then could you let go of me please? You know Akane will get angry if she sees us."

Shampoo made a sound that could have been a sniff, but reluctantly released Ranma all the same.

"Airen? You is really back?"

"Have been since last night."

"Shampoo so-so glad to see you back!"

"I noticed."

"Where did stupid Violent-Girl send Airen anyway?"

"Yeah sugar, I wouldn't mind knowing the answer to that question myself."

Ukyo decided it was time to remind them both of her presence- she didn't want Shampoo to get any ideas about Ranma now that he was finally back. Ranma simply grinned and shook his head.

"I know you'll all want to hear about what happened, and I see no reason not to tell you. But I'm not going to waste my time chasing you all down and telling you individually. Just come by the Tendo Dojo after school and I'll tell you all what you need to know. Make sure you bring your great-grandmother Shampoo- and even that bird-brain Mousse."

"Okay, Shampoo bring great-grandmother and stupid Duck-Boy to Airen's after school. Bye-bye!"

With that said, Shampoo leapt back towards her bike, totally forgetting about the ramen (which Ranma picked up and casually began eating), and cycled furiously away. His eyes casually moved towards Ukyo, who got his silent message.

"Don't worry sugar, I'll be there."

"And what did you think you were doing flirting with those two bimbos at lunch today Ranma!"

"What bimbos? And for that matter, what flirting? I just broke up a fight between Ukyo and Shampoo and asked them to come around after school, that's all. You've been listening to the school gossips again, haven't you? When are you going to figure out that listening to that pack of morons is an exercise in futility?"

Akane was silent after Ranma had finished. Not because she believed that what he said was true, but simply because she was stunned by how eloquently put it was. Since when could Ranma speak in such a cultured manner? She shook off her confusion as they entered the house, but Kasumi called out to them before she could think up anything to say, disrupting her line of thoughts.

"Ranma, Akane, could you come in here for a second?"

Akane walked into the kitchen alongside Ranma- and promptly gaped in disbelief. Scattered around the kitchen were eight fuzzy little- well, to be honest, she didn't have a clue what they were. They looked something like a crossbreed between a cat and a rabbit, but with exceptionally large ears, eight legs and something like a jewelled tiara on their heads. Speechless, she turned to Kasumi for help, who simply smiled that smile of hers.

"I heard something scratching around in the laundry and, well, there they were. I don't know what they are, but they're very friendly. And don't you think they're cute?"

Akane just shook her head in disbelief, and turned towards Ranma, hoping for a beacon of sanity amongst this scene of madness. She was in for a disappointment; Ranma was staring at the creatures and twitching. Akane blinked in puzzlement for a second, then realized just how cat-like these creatures were.

_Oh no! If they trigger the Cat-Fist…_

They triggered a reaction all right, but it wasn't the Cat-Fist.

"RYO!"

At Ranma's sudden shout, all of the little creatures turned towards Ranma and flinched, their facial expressions reminding Akane of little kids who know they're in trouble. A purple-furred whatever, sitting on the table near Kasumi, looked especially sheepish. Ranma didn't seem to notice, and simply folded his arms and glared.

"I told you all to stay behind, I'm very angry that you disobeyed me!"

The creatures all looked heartbroken, their eyes cast downwards. When Ranma suddenly grinned they perked right back up.

"But I'm not angry to have you here- I missed you all too."

At those words something of a stampede occurred, the things bounding from where they were to mob Ranma. Ryo, the purple-furred one and the biggest of them all, leapt straight into Ranma's arms and nuzzled there, squeaking or purring (they couldn't properly decipher the sounds) with happiness. Kasumi smiled; there were few things of wonderful as the love between a boy and his pet. Akane just blinked in confusion before deciding to go with what she knew to be correct and get angry.

"Ranma! What are those, those- things!"

"They're called Manahoars. I, well, picked them up in the place where I got sent too. I'll explain when I tell the rest of you."

The ringing of the doorbell cut anything Akane might have had to say off. Ranma's head turned towards where the rest of the Nerima Wrecking Crew were, for once in their life, entering the Tendo Dojo together without simply smashing a hole in the wall.

"Come into the living room, I'll talk to you all there."

Ranma sat at the table, encircled by those he was closest to (well, in Nerima anyway). The Tendos, his father, the Amazons, Ukyo and Ryoga (there had been no sign of Happosai, for which everyone was grateful) formed a crude semi-circle arranged at the opposite end of the table. No one dared to speak; Ranma's "normal" persona, which seemed so carefree and confident, had melted away like an illusion when he'd sat down. The persona revealed beneath stared at them with ice-cold, emotionless eyes, his very bearing speaking of a frigid disposition and an iron-hard will. His gaze silently and matter-of-factly promised extreme pain for anyone to arouse his displeasure, forcing all of them into silence. He idly stroked one of his Manahoars, then began to speak.

"In a way, I suppose I should thank Akane for what she did, for it truly changed my life for the better. When the light engulfed me, I was blinded. I couldn't see anything; all I could feel was a sensation as though the wind was carrying me. When I could see, I was alone on a bare island of rock, floating in this sea of blue-silver mist. At least, I was alone at first. They materialised out of the mist, five regal figures. They were the gods of this world, of Otherworld, and they took pity on me. They each offered me succour, a chance to choose one of them as a patron, who would aid me and tutor me in their style of magic, which would let me get home."

"Magic?"

Asked Nabiki, clearly incredulous. Ranma turned a gaze upon her that pierced her like an icicle to the heart, which quickly wiped the expression from her face.

"Yes, magic. Only two months passed for you, but three times that amount of time passed for me in Otherworld. Under the tutelage of my patron, I mastered the Arcane Arts until I finally achieved the power to return here."

"Exactly who did you choose as your patron anyway Son-in-law?"

Asked Cologne; she alone amongst them seemed to have the least trouble accepting what Ranma was saying.

"Stratos. God of Air and Supreme Lord of the Heavens, The Bringer of Storms and the Master of the Winds. Under his tutelage, I became an Elementalist, a master of frost and wind and lightning."

"Pah! Do you actually expect us to believe this garbage?"

Scoffed Genma.

FRZAAK!

Genma shot backwards from the formation, his twitching form crashing to the ground and falling still. The others simply looked from his still-crackling form to Ranma's outstretched hand, which was still covered in wispy arcs of electricity.

"I personally would consider that a very convincing argument, wouldn't you? Besides, whether you believe it or not, it won't change things. I went there, and now I've come back."

Nobody said anything, but Ranma sighed in exasperation.

"Very well, if I must give you a more practical demonstration of my powers…"

He stood up from the table, prompting a mass scramble backwards from almost everyone sitting down; none of them wanted to be his next target. But Ranma didn't even pay them any attention; he simply walked out towards the Koi pond. To the accompaniment of startled gasps, he drew an ornate, jagged dagger from hammerspace and slashed it across his palm. Instead of blood though, a faintly luminescent silvery-blue liquid slowly oozed from the cut. Whispering faintly in some alien tongue, he slowly dripped three drops of the fluid into the Koi pond. Soun twitched, as though he wanted to attack Ranma for polluting his Koi pond, but considering how often Ranma himself got thrown in there it was a wonder any Koi were left.

As the droplets touched the water's surface it began to roil and seethe, thick misty vapour beginning to pour from its depths. As Ranma continued to chant and gesture, the mist thickened and surged from the pond, spreading its tendrils across the ground. As the group watched, thin tendrils of ice suddenly erupted from three points, forming a triangle around the pond. The ice tendril grew like mad, stretching upwards from the ground and curving into delicate, twisting shapes. They interwove into a breathtaking piece of sculpture, with an overall shape of a thick ring supported on three pillars.

When one looked closer however, the ice formed stunning patterns and decorations literally grew from its surface, ranging from masks to stylised lightning bolts to flowers, all of it perfectly formed. As a pillar of white flame surged into life in the center of the structure, floating just above the water (the Koi seemed unaffected by the structure's presence), Ranma sighed in satisfaction and turned towards the Wrecking Crew.

"Proof enough?"

A stunned silence was all the answer he received.

_Now, several people have asked for me to bring in the Musk Dynasty, but the problem (as I've mentioned) is that I only know the Anime contingency, where the Musk Dynasty is absent. Thanks to Xtor49 (who also provided a comprehensive, straight-from-the-manga list of Umisenken moves), I now know the basics of the Musk, including the names of their treasures and Herb's special techniques. However, I still need to know some stuff about the Musk who came to Nerima:_

_Precisely what were the circumstances that brought Herb there? AKA precisely how did he get cursed and why would he come looking for the Kaisuifuu in Nerima?_

_How does Herb get on with his retainers, Mint and Lime? Speaking of which, what ancestry are Mint and Lime? And what are their special techniques and personalities?_

_How does Ranma defeat Herb in the manga? I think I've heard that he essentially reverses the Hiryu Shoten Ha so that he gets sucked up into the air and then shoots down a spiralling ki bolt, but how does he think it up and what is it called?_

_Another thing: precisely where does Ranma's mother live? I'm sure she knows the Tendos (I've only really seen her in OVA #3), but does she know about Ranma and Akane's engagement or not? From what I've read, in the Manga she actually approves of Ranma's multiple fiancées once she finally meets him (when does she do so anyway?), is this true or not?_

_Here are two more scenarios I want your opinions on: should I use them, or not?_

_With his Altar now constructed, Ranma is effectively immortal AND he has a permanent gateway between Nerima and Dalara Peaks. Suppose Ranma has to go to Otherworld for some business (settle a quarrel between two villages, organise a trade treaty with another island or just have some fun) and drags the NWC along (intentionally or otherwise) for the ride? Just what sort of trouble can they get up to there? How about Mousse accidentally challenging a Frostwolf warrior-woman to a marriage battle? Or Ryoga provoking a war between Dalara Peaks and nearby Petroglodyte when he gets lost and insults the Sorcerer-Lord of the Petroglodyte?_

_Similar to the above, a notorious criminal Mage from Otherworld somehow slips through the portal between Dalara Peaks and Nerima. Now, she's running around causing even more chaos in Tokyo. Ranma has to get her back, but things get complicated when she falls in love with Ukyo's annoying suitor, Tsubasa Kurenai, and Ukyo refuses to let Ranma break up the "happy couple"._

_Finally, here's a short list of spells I created for this story, as well as a list of Mana and Hybrid Techniques I've thought up. Before you ask, Hybrid Techniques blend mana and ki together as their power source._

_Crashing Shock Bolt: a powerful bolt of electricity and concussive force that spirals down upon its target from above, easily capable of flattening a building. Because it descends upon the target with no physical connection to the caster, it is very good for surprise attacks and very hard to anticipate and/or dodge._

_Thunder Blast: one of the most powerful electric spells, its sole problem is that it requires external fuel (electricity equivalent to a minimum of three lightning bolts), which the caster must draw into himself before he can unleash the spell. Once the requisite electrical energy has been absorbed, the caster concentrates the energy as a sphere between his hands and then unleashes it as an incredibly destructive beam._

_Call the Storm: your basic weather-control spell, this conjures a violent storm, complete with lashing lightning bolts, gale-force winds and even mini-tornadoes (rain and hail optional). Commonly utilised in unison with Thunder Blast, because the caster can mentally direct the lightning bolts produced by this spell, allowing him access to the power needed to unleash the Thunder Blast._

_Rampage of a Thousand Rabid Squirrels: okay, this isn't a Mana or a Ki Technique, but Ranma never would have been able to develop this if he hadn't gone to Empyrea. Essentially, this is a kicking version of the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, directed… well… below the belt._

_Caress of the Jellyfish: a Hybrid Technique, Ranma bleeds lightning magic into his Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, thus shocking his enemy as he punches._

_Dance of the Snowflake: a Hybrid Technique, Ranma focuses his ki and wind magic into his body to become swifter, more graceful and harder to detect._

_Power Switch: technically a Hybrid Technique, Ranma focuses and transitions from using his Ki to sustain his fighting ability to using his Mana instead. This allows him to keep fighting if his Ki is depleted somehow, though he cannot use any techniques that utilise ki (which is most everything- the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, the Moko Takabisha and the Hiryu Shoten Ha). In addition, while using this technique, Ranma is invisible to ki detection techniques._

_Desperation Technique- Embrace of the Electric Eel: like the name suggests, a Mana Technique Ranma only uses if he can see no other choice. Ranma grapples his target (using the Cradle of Death as a basis) and then spontaneously discharges his entire mana reserve through his skin as raw electrical current. This sudden violent discharge leaves Ranma disorientated (and thus vulnerable) for several seconds afterwards, but a few gigavolts of electricity can usually stun and/or paralyze any foe. After using this technique, Ranma cannot cast any spells or use any mana techniques until he recharges his mana reserve._


	8. Chapter 8

S .5 Part Eight 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes: **Wow… over 100 reviews for this story- I never dared believe I'd get so much as a 10th that number! To those of you asking: no, I do not intend to cross this fic over with any other fandoms. I don't really know any other anime/manga bar my primary trio: Ranma ½, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Slayers, though I also have a degree of knowledge in Inuyasha and El-Hazard, as well as some passing knowledge of Tenchi Muyo! Besides, this fic doesn't need any more elements; there's enough to do blending Sacrifice (before you say anything: I know I've really twisted it, but it's damn hard to write for straight from the game) and Ranma ½. By the way, none of you answered my question: do you think I should make alternaverse stories where Ranma chose a different God or not?

Part 7: Changing Patterns

Ranma's gaze swept across the stunned Nerima Wrecking Crew, inwardly smiling at how well his minor display of power had caught their attention.

"But power and a cure were not the only things that I acquired in Empyrea. You see, I am tired of being fought over and blamed, attacked for no reason and in general treated like a toy, a trophy, or a punching bag. I have had enough. My honour means much to me, but where is the honour in perishing because of the jealousy and temper of a spoiled brat?"

Here he directed a particularly icy and cutting gaze on Akane, who simultaneously flushed with rage and trembled with fear. The other fiancées smirked, only to join her in trembling when Ranma directed that gaze upon them.

"And you two aren't much better; how often have you started fighting each other over me, neither of you caring about either the fact I was caught between you –and taking most of the hits- or the fact you were treating me like I was a prize to be won instead of a human being? How often have you gotten jealous about the possibility that I might be doing something with another woman, while you yourself were actually dating someone? I refuse to take such abuse anymore."

The fiancées, even Akane, gulped; they were positive that this was the day they'd hoped would never occur, the events from their romance-related nightmares coming true. Ranma was going to revoke their engagements, and he now had both the intelligence to find the loopholes in their contracts and the power to bully the adults into accepting his decision. Easily discerning their fear, Ranma developed a bitter smile.

"Relax. I'm not going to cut off your engagement contracts… at least, not yet. There's still the matter of the honour invested in them to consider. I warn you all though; if you truly do desire my hand in marriage for reasons besides honour, you will have to change your methods. I will not be treated like some kind of prize. If you persist in doing so, then I will return to Otherworld and sever all ties with you, permanently. As for you two…"

He turned his gaze upon Mousse and Ryoga.

"If you want to retain your position as my rivals, I suggest you get some serious training in. Be warned; though I will not stoop to your levels, I will no longer be so merciful when you ambush me. The warning is issued; the choice is yours."

He stood up and walked over to the structure now growing in the Tendo's backyard, his Manahoars following behind him. He reached out with his hand and gently touched it, whispering something under his breath. No one could make out what he was saying, but they could see the way the pillar of white flames within the structure's center surged into new vigour.

"I'm going back to Dalara Peaks for a while, there are some things I need to take care of there. I will be back in time for dinner."

Having said that, Ranma stepped towards the pillar of flames, literally walking on water to do so. His fiancées stifled a gasp as the flames surged outwards, engulfing Ranma and his Manahoars before retreating back in upon themselves, leaving not a trace of their former presence. Once it became clear that Ranma had indeed left, the group released a breath they hadn't been aware they were holding. The Amazons left to return to the Cat Café, Ukyo had to get back to Ucchan's and Ryoga wandered away, announcing his intentions to head for the mountains and train. Pity for him he was going in the opposite direction.

_In Dalara Peaks…_

Ranma took a deep breath and released it; that had gone about as well as he had expected it to go. He'd talked over his life with Yuki and Yiku, and they'd both advised him on what to do when he finally got back to Nerima and the chaos that was apparently inherent to that place. That didn't mean that his grievances weren't genuine, just that he hadn't wanted to have to confront them all like that. Ranma was more the reactive type than the initiative type. Such a direct confrontation ran contrary to his nature. It wasn't that he wouldn't carry out his threats, just that he'd feel sorry for committing them afterwards.

_The Cat Café_

Cologne pogoed into the empty café, with Mousse and Shampoo trailing behind her. Nodding to herself, she bounced into the kitchen and beckoned for Shampoo to follow her. Mousse tagged along behind her, but neither of the Chinese Amazon women paid any attention to him.

We will speak in Mandarin child; there are things we need to discuss and we cannot afford any misunderstandings.

I understand.

It seems that Akane Tendo's foolishness may have both elevated the stakes and almost cost us all the game. While his new powers and awakened intellect make him even more of a prize, it is obvious that Ranma's patience is almost worn thin.

It was a true sign of how serious things were that Cologne referred to Ranma by his name rather than as son-in-law.

I wondered how long it would take before the abusive behavior heaped upon him by the Tendos, his father and that wretched Happosai would turn him against them, whereupon we could easily persuade him to join us. But I fear that he has lost almost all trust and patience with all of us; he was willing to reject not only his father and the Tendo agreement, but also his ties to Ukyo and us as well. We dare not attempt to force him to join us now, and I truly doubt if we can. The Mages of Otherworld are immensely powerful.

That was something I meant to ask you; how did you know what that amulet would do? And why did you seem so unsurprised about the changes to Airen?

That amulet was amongst the most ancient treasures of not only our tribe, but also our family. Around five hundred years after Joketsuzoku had been formed, one of the tribe's warriors encountered a stranger on the outskirts of the village. She formally challenged the man, only to be quickly defeated by the man's powerful spells. Though he initially refused to accept the Kiss of Life –much like Ranma has done- he and the warrior eventually fell in true love and were wed. They were the founders of our family, and that jewel was an artefact of his creation, handed down through our line.

Seeing the questioning look on Shampoo and Mousse's faces, she continued.

The man was a mage from Otherworld, though what God he followed has been forgotten, many of our most powerful moves were styled after his magic, which was instrumental in protecting the tribe against some of our more fearsome foes, such as the Phoenix People and the Musk Dynasty.

The Musk and the Phoenix? Those are little kid's stories!

That's where you are wrong. While they are most likely gone now, the Musk Dynasty and the Phoenix People truly existed, and they were our deadliest enemies. The mage's spells devastated their armies when they tried to invade us, and it was his threats to totally annihilate them that forced them sign peace treaties with us.

If this mage was such a hotshot, then why have we never heard of him before?

BOP

Cologne whacked the insolent Mousse on the head with her staff before resuming her talk with her great-granddaughter.

As the bird-brained four-eyes asked, the mage did not desire fame, simply skill. Combined with the fact that many of the Council who came after him were embarrassed by the idea that a "mere male" should be so instrumental in our history, he was censored from all the records. Only we, his descendants, still acknowledge his existence, but anyway. I fear that Ranma may be a lost cause to us. Perhaps I should just report this turn of events to the Council and renounce your Kiss of Life on him.

Shampoo gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock. Seeing this, Cologne gave a sad, ironic smile.

So, it seems the huntress has become the prey. You truly have come to love him, haven't you? If you do wish to continue pursuing him, then things will have to change. Firstly, you will stop speaking Japanese with that ridiculous broken accent!

But great-grandmother! It makes me sound so cute!

No, it makes you sound either stupid or childish, depending on how you look at it. While I admit it does serve to lower your enemies guard, Ranma is not your enemy- you do not want him to become your enemy- and he is clearly not simply interested in a wife for her physical appeal or her culinary skills. If that were the case, he would have dumped Akane for you, Ukyo, Kasumi or maybe even Kodachi by now.

All three present shuddered at the mention of Kodachi Kuno, and Shampoo had to quell an urge to vomit at the idea of Ranma marrying her. Even Mousse didn't think he deserved that!

Secondly, you will have to stop glomping him. I severely doubt that Ranma was raised with much physical affection, as evidenced by the way your glomps always seemed to unnerve him so. His desires for physical closeness, and ability to comprehend it as a sign of affection, were more than likely stunted even further by both his engagement to Akane and the molestations of Happosai. Essentially, he cannot help but compare you hugging him to the way Happosai gropes and fondles- or should I say, groped and fondled- his female side.

My Airen thought I acted like Happosai!

Mousse turned green around the gills, whilst Shampoo actually staggered to a nearby sink and began vomiting. Who could blame them? Cologne waited until her heir finished expressing her disgust before continuing.

You will have to use a more "gentle" approach. Think of how you would tame a wild animal; you don't simply charge in and attempt to beat it into submission, you need to be cautious, gentle and, above all else, patient. Unfortunately, seeing as how long you have been offering the "stick", it may well be that Ranma might never trust you to any real degree again. Pray to the spirits that it's not too late to change things, or you will never have him. Fortunately, we are aided in that it is unlikely that Akane Tendo will –or even can- change her ways, which will definitely hinder any efforts she might attempt to keep Ranma's affection. Finally, you can no longer use any magic in your efforts; Ranma will know virtually all of our mind-affecting potions, elixirs and drugs, as well as how to counter them. Continuing in their use would be futile and would probably destroy any chance you may have of winning his heart.

She then turned to the semi-conscious Mousse.

As for you, Mr. Part-Time, he has formally warned you about the consequences should you continue to launch unprovoked attacks upon him. If you arouse his wrath, then it will be on your own head; we will give you no shelter or aid, you must stand for yourself.

Cologne sighed, then spoke in Japanese.

"Come on now, we have to reopen for the late customers."

_The Tendo Dojo_

It was time for dinner at the Tendo Dojo. True to his word, Ranma had rematerialized just a few minutes before it was ready, casually setting the table as though he hadn't fried his father and threatened everyone he knew only a few hours ago. Taking this into account, it wasn't so surprising that the meal was so silent; the recently recovered Genma wasn't even trying to steal any food from his son! Ranma himself paid absolutely no attention to the attitudes the others had taken, seeming for all the world exactly the way he had been two months ago. When dinner was finished though, he broke the silence.

"Hey, pop?"

"What is it b-er, Ranma?"

If he had noticed how his father had actually called him by his name, Ranma gave no sign of it.

"There's something I need to ask you, something only you can tell me. Oh, and by the way? Don't even think about lying. I know you, and I have magic that can identify lies, so think twice before lying to me."

Unseen by either of the Saotomes, the Tendos (bar Kasumi, who simply slipt back into the kitchen) scrambled for cover, anxious to be out of the way when Ranma went berserk.

"W-what is it, son?"

"It's about mom."

"Nodoka? What about her?"

"Don't you think it's high time I actually met her face-to-face? I mean, the curse is broken, I'm 100 guy again, don't you think I can meet her at last?"

"You're cured, but what about me?"

"What about you? My curse was the only thing that would have mattered to her, the seppuku contract only applies if I'M the one who's 'unmanly'. If anything, it might impress her; you made me what I am today, even though it cost you half your humanity."

One could practically see the wheels in Genma's head turning as he digested this information. Ranma leaned forward towards Genma, a large and somewhat threatening grin plastered on his face.

"So, what do you say pop? Tell me how to reach her."

Genma sighed, then dug around in the pockets of his gi before pulling out an old and somewhat weathered postcard, which he gave to Ranma.

"Here. Its one of the few she managed to send back to us, it tells where she moved to while we were training."

"She moved? Why?"

"Read it and see."

"Thanks pop. You should feel pleased with yourself, doing a good deed for once. Who knows, it might even save you."

At that remark, Genma's head snapped up.

"What do you mean by that!"

"Well, mom and I have a lot to catch up on, a lot to talk about. There's the Neko-Ken, the thefts, Ukyo's dowry, Jusenkyo, you do the math. I'm going to tell her everything. **Everything**. So you better think some good explanations."

Genma's eyes widened in fear, sweat dripping down his brow.

_Happosai's room_

In his room, the perverted Grandmaster of Anything-Goes Martial Arts tried to simultaneously chuckle and wince. He was happy because he'd sent away the money to get himself a dose of Nyannichaun, but in pain because he'd made the stupid mistake of raiding Nabiki's room for the money. He should have remembered how much Nabiki's yen meant to her, and thus expected the booby-traps. If Nabiki ever found out that Happosai had stolen from her, her revenge would surely be terrible. Though doubtfully anywhere near as terrible as Ranma's would be should he learn precisely what the old pervert was planning.

_A ship somewhere out to sea_

This ship normally carried only cargo and crewmembers, not passengers. But the captain had made an exception for three strange people who not only promised to pay him in gold but also seemed very willing to kill him should he refuse. One of those passengers, a young boy wearing a weird hat featuring both the ears and the tail of a wolf, now clung to the rail, fighting a losing battle with seasickness. A slightly older boy, wearing a tiger-skin kilt and with fangs and slitted pupils, approached him.

"Hey Mint. Still not handling this too well, are ya?'

Mint's answer wasn't verbal, but it definitely got the point across. After he finished he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and turned to his companion.

"You got it Lime. I don't see why Prince Herb made us get on this wretched thing."

"Because what Prince Herb says, goes. Besides, look on the bright side.

"What bright side?"

"Well, across the sea is where women live."

At this both boys sighed dreamily.

"I wonder what they're like. The only one who knows anything about them is Prince Herb, and he won't say anything."

"Still, we'll find out soon enough, won't we Lime?"

"That's the spirit Mint!"

_Okay, so Ranma's going to find his mom, Happosai's Cursed Spring Water is on its way, as are the Musk, and Ranma's fiancées will have to change their tune if they want to keep him. Please read and review, though I'll freely admit you've been extraordinarily generous with the reviews already._


	9. Chapter 9

S .5 Part Nine 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** Eight chapters, 120+ reviews and only one real flame? I mustn't be as horrifying a writer as I thought! Oh, and I realise I got the Unlocking Kettle (Kaisuifuu) mixed up with the Locking Ladle (Chisuiiton) in the last chapter; I've edited that and whatever other mistakes I've made in the previous chapters.

Part 8: Meetings and Beatings, Part 1

Having tricked (for lack of a better word) Genma out of the location of his mother's house, Ranma was currently in Sliverspine, preparing himself for his first true meeting with the mother he'd never known whilst growing up. He paced backwards and forwards across the cluttered floor of his house, mentally reviewing his plans, choice of outfits and, perhaps most importantly, the list of Genma's wrong-doings he intended to give to her.

"Let's see, stealing Ukyo's dowry, engaging me to Kaori for a bowl of rice, two fish and some pickles, the Neko-Ken, Jusenkyo, lying to her about being 'Ranko's' pet panda, what else should I tell her?"

In his state of absent-mindedness, Ranma accidentally walked out of his hut and into the pouring rainstorm outside. Being drenched in frigid water quickly shocked him back to his senses and sent him scrambling back through the door.

"Man, am I glad I finally got rid of that wretched curse pop got us. Wait just a minute… why do I have this feeling I forgot something?"

He concentrated for a few seconds before a picture of a raging Ryoga appeared in his mind's eye. He thumped his open palm in realisation.

"I knew I forgot something! Gotta wait for this storm to finish first."

Smiling at having remembered, Ranma made his way to a crude chair in the corner, cleared the junk off of it and sat down. He had something else to think about now; while it was true that his Altar, and thus his link with Otherworld, could only be destroyed by the Desecration spell, Ranma had no intention of allowing the Nerima Wrecking Crew to attempt to destroy it. Who knew what would happen if it got damaged. So now he had to try and figure out what sort of creature he could summon as a Guardian.

_A Silverback? Nah, too big and too flashy._

_Sylphs? No, Akane would just get mad at the sight of them._

_Storm Giants? Not strong enough._

_A Flurry? Next._

Ranma snapped his fingers as the answer hit him; a Yeti! Strong, tough, powerful and with a worse attitude than Ryoga's, it was the perfect guardian. Now he just had to get the necessary souls to create one…

_Somewhere in Nerima_

A day had passed since Ryoga had departed the Tendo Dojo, declaring his plans to head for the mountains and train so that he could challenge this "new" Ranma Saotome. Unfortunately for him, he was completely lost and absolutely nowhere near the mountains- he hadn't even left Nerima yet! He pulled out a well-worn map of Japan and scrutinized it. As he tried to narrow down precisely where he was and where he had to go, someone poked him in the back, flinging him into an instinctive fighting position. He blinked in confusion when that "someone" turned out to be Ranma Saotome.

"Heya Ryoga, what are you doing?"

Ryoga blinked; the last time he'd seen Ranma, he'd been effectively threatening his life, cold and harsh as a blizzard. Now he was seemingly back to his old cocky yet happy-go-lucky self. A sweatdrop rolled down the back of his head as his silence prompted Ranma to place a hand on his forehead and leaned in close to scrutinize his face.

"You really must be sick, but I'll be frostbitten if I can find any fever."

"What are you talking about? What do you mean 'I must be sick'?"

"Sheesh, I've been back about three days and you still haven't asked."

"Asked what! What are you talking about!"

Ryoga was now thoroughly convinced that Ranma had completely lost his mind.

"Hello? Curse, cure, P-Chan, me, any of this ringing any bells?"

Ryoga blinked as he assimilated that data, before he finally managed to figure out what Ranma was referring to.

"What's the point in asking? It's not like you can get any more cures here, or that you'd be willing to share them in the first place."

"Firstly, the cure is so simple even you could pull it off, secondly, who said I wouldn't share? I'll admit I don't exactly have much cause to share it, but that wouldn't have stopped me considering it if you'd asked."

"What do you mean you don't have any cause to share it!"

"Essentially, why should I fix something that isn't my fault? And don't look at me like that; did I make pop drag us both to those stupid springs? Did I make you chase me to China, or fail to get out of our way? Did I make the old ghoul train Shampoo at the springs? Did I make that idiot Mousse take his glasses off and just walk straight into the damn Spring of Drowned Duck? Did I? Couple that with precisely how often you've all screwed me over when it came to potential cures, is it any wonder I have severe doubts about giving you the cure I finally found?"

Ryoga actually backed up a step, as Ranma seemed to be working himself into a fury. Ranma's fingers flexed rapidly, emitting cracks like walnuts breaking, before he clenched his right hand into a fist and brought it to rest against his chest, breathing heavily through his nose as he visibly forced himself to calm down. But that single lapse of control was enough to make it plain, even to Ryoga, that there was a lot of resentment and rage bottled up inside Ranma. Smiling as though he hadn't been just about to blow a fuse two seconds ago, Ranma continued.

"Anyway, I'm willing to share the secret to curing Jusenkyo curses with you, on three conditions."

"Name them!"

"Firstly; you will never reveal the secret of the cure to the other cursed locals- I will decide when and if they are worthy of receiving it. Secondly; once you are cured you will tell Akane about being P-Chan- I don't need her moping around because her little pet has disappeared for good."

"B-but I…"

"Can never work up the guts to tell her? Then take these."

Ranma gave Ryoga small vial full of pills.

"These are confidence pills, take one of them and for the next 72 hours you'll be so confident, why, you could even tell Akane that you love her at last. The third and final condition is this; come with me to my mother's house."

"Huh?"

Ryoga was confused; why would Ranma want him to meet his mother? Ranma rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation.

"Because I intend to tell her precisely what pop did on our training trip, he has no intention of letting me reach her."

That made sense; even Ryoga had to admit that Genma Saotome was far from a sterling example of a martial artist, as well as being cowardly and deceitful enough that he would try anything to save his own skin. He nodded in agreement.

"All right, I'm in. So let's go already."

"Great. Oh, and you'll get the secret when we reach mom's house, no sooner, no later."

Several hours later, Ryoga was beginning to wonder if Ranma hadn't gone paranoid. True, since they started towards where Ranma said his mother was they'd experienced several "accidents", from being accused of being shoplifters to being mugged to cars that shot from out of nowhere to try and run them down, but it had been nothing they couldn't handle. Ranma attributed all of it to Genma's handiwork, whilst Ryoga privately doubted that Genma had anything approaching the subtlety or brainpower needed to pull them off.

Then came an event that convinced Ryoga that maybe Ranma wasn't going nuts at all; the two of them had entered an intersection, when pouring down from every street came a flood of cats, a feline tsunami that swept upon them with a speed and ferocity they couldn't evade. Unable to even leap aside, Ryoga buried his hands into a nearby wall to anchor himself and tucked his face into his chest to shield it, he had no choice but to trust to his Bakusai Tenketsu training to spare him from the worst of the damage.

When the last screeching cat had finished clawing at him and wandered away, Ryoga finally unanchored himself. His clothes were shredded, but he hadn't taken too much damage himself, though for perhaps the first time in his life he could sympathize with Ranma for having been put through the Neko-Ken. Speaking of Ranma…

"Where are you!"

_Oh great, he's probably on the other side of Tokyo by now. If he hasn't reached the other side of Japan anyway._

"I'm up here Ryoga!"

_Huh?_

Ryoga looked upwards, seeing nothing but a tiny dot floating high in the air. When that dot descended though, his jaw dropped. The "dot" turned out to be Ranma, encased in a shell-like silver aura, which flared out as a set of magnificent wings from his shoulders. He hovered above the ground for a few seconds before cancelling the aura and dropping to the ground effortlessly. Ryoga picked his jaw off the ground and tried to wrap his head around what he had just seen.

"You… wings… flight… aura… how?"

"You didn't think that tossing lightning bolts and ice sculpture were the only things I picked up on my journey, did you? Oh no Ryoga, I can honestly tell you that you ain't seen nothing yet!"

Perhaps it was desperation, perhaps it was sheer stupidity, but Genma finally made an actual appearance in his confrontation with his son. And that was his worst mistake of the day.

"Ranma! My son! At last, I've found you!"

"Hey Ranma, is that your mom? Ranma?"

When Ryoga looked at his companion, he saw that Ranma was visibly shaking with rage, his fist clenched tightly and the beginnings of a red-black aura shimmering around him. As Ranma's "mother" got closer, Ryoga could see why; it was nobody other than Genma, in one of his usual pathetic "female" disguises. Looking backwards and forwards between the grotesque man, and his twitching son, Ryoga couldn't help but think of the numerous times Ranma had tricked someone (usually him) with his girl-side.

Geez, guess the saying really is true; like father, like son.

Ryoga snapped out of his thoughts when Ranma visibly shifted moods, going from the brink of fury to joyous and happy in the blink of an eye.

"Mom? Is that really you? Oh, it's been so long!"

Only Ryoga could see that Ranma's right hand, tucked behind his back, was beginning to glow with a weird white light.

"Let me touch you and make sure you're real… **pop**."

Ranma's voice shifted from happy to menacing with that last word; Genma's eyes bulged in terror as he realised he had been outwitted, but before he could even move Ranma lashed out with a speed that even Ryoga could barely follow. With a single touch of his hand, Genma was encased in a thick shell of bluish ice, his features just barely visible beneath the overcoat-like prison. Ranma turned to Ryoga, visibly calming down.

"Can you bring him along? I'm sure mom will have a few things she'd like to discuss."

"Not so fast! When are you going to tell me the secret to curing Jusenkyo?"

"If I tell you, will you do as I ask?"

"Yes! Now tell me already!"

"Alright then, the secret is this…"

Ranma leaned in close and whispered in Ryoga's ear, Ryoga's eyes shot open and his jaw dropped.

"**That's** the secret!"

Ranma nodded.

"You're kidding?"

Ranma shook his head.

"All this time, and I could have been cured…"

"Yes, life's full of nasty little shock's, isn't it? Now come on- I haven't seen her in twelve years."

Ryoga nodded and lifted the Genma-sicle onto his shoulders with a grunt; Genma was far from a featherweight even when he wasn't wrapped in a cubic foot of ice.

_The Saotome House_

Nodoka Saotome sighed and slung the Saotome Honour Sword onto her shoulders; she intended to visit the Tendo Dojo again and see if her husband and son were there yet. A knocking at the door interrupted her musings on her long-missing family.

"Oh my, now who could that be?"

She quickly walked towards the door and opened it.

"Hello? May I help…"

She stopped in mid-sentence; there, standing on her doorstep, was a young man who looked strangely familiar. Her heart raced; could it be?

"Hi… mom?"

From several feet away, Ryoga watched as mother and son embraced each other.

_Somewhere in Nerima_

"Find him you fools! We must get the Locking Ladle back!"

"Yes sire!"

"At once master!"

Prince Herb of the Musk Dynasty fumed with rage as Lime and Mint shot off in two different directions. The trio had arrived at a harbour close to Nerima, but had been ambushed by shrivelled little troll of a martial artist, who'd stolen the Locking Ladle after paralysing them with some sort of mould-bomb. Herb gritted his teeth and ground his fist with rage; that wretch would pay!

_All right, chapter 9 is up; Ranma finally meets his mother, Ryoga knows how to cure himself, and the Musk are tearing up Nerima in pursuit of Happosai, who stole the Locking Ladle when he went to pick up his barrel of Nyannichaun. But I need recommendations here; should Ranma fight with Herb and/or the other Musk first, or should Happosai splash him with the Locking Ladle first? If the latter, should Ranma get into a fight with Herb, or team up with him to get revenge on the ancient pervert first?_

_Before anyone points at that Herb is Jusenkyo-cursed himself at this point in time, and thus a female, I know that; Herb is being referred to as "he" deliberately, because only Lime and Mint know he's in the body of a girl, and they have been taught to refer to him as male- or else!_


	10. Chapter 10

S .5 Part Ten 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** words simply do not exist to describe my gratitude for your support and appreciation; a long-time reader of fanfics, I never dared to believe that I would ever be capable of writing anything like this. My deepest thanks to you all. Oh, and by the way; I'm now aware that Lime and Mint are unaware of Herb's curse. This will be taken into account in the story.

Chapter 9: Meetings and Beatings, Part 2

"**Genma**!"

From the tone of her voice, it would be logical to assume that Nodoka Saotome wasn't happy. In fact, downright furious wouldn't be inappropriate and critical meltdown might apply just as well.

Today had seen the realisation of a dream she had carried for ten long years; her son, Ranma Saotome, was finally home, and he was truly a remarkable specimen. In her exultation she had barely noticed as another, rather lost-looking, boy in well-worn, dusty clothing had carried what looked like a giant lump of ice into her house. She and Ranma had sat down for some tea in the kitchen when she finally noticed her additional "guests". She'd offered him a cup of tea out of politeness, then returned her attention to her son, wanting to hear all about his training journey. As it transpired, he had a **lot** to tell her.

She was truly shocked and appalled at hearing what her husband had done to her son during the course of his so-called "training", though her son didn't refute that they had, in their own ham-fisted way, worked. She listened with horror as he described the torments of the Neko-Ken, at having been forced to fight his father for every scrap of food at every meal, his multiple fiancées, the trip to Jusenkyo and his journey to Otherworld.

Though she'd initially had problems believing some of his more outrageous tales, particularly the parts concerning magic, those doubts had vanished promptly with a few demonstrations. As she'd watched, he'd frozen his steaming-hot tea into a solid block of ice, then flipped it into the air and obliterated it with a lightning bolt. He'd actually produced a "bubble" of pure ki energy for her, and then gone on to juggle about a dozen tennis ball-sized globes of ball lightning. He'd even demonstrated the effects of Jusenkyo curses, with the not-so-willing aid of Ryoga.

Nodoka was now currently glaring at her estranged husband, who was visibly sweating with terror. Ranma had smashed the ice off of him to about half-way down his shoulders, so he was capable of verbally participating in the conversation but incapable of moving. Nodoka slipped the cloth off of the Saotome Blade and withdrew the katana from its sheath, raising it above her head in one swift movement, at which Genma looked ready to pass out.

"You wretched honourless bastard!"

"Whoa, calm down mom!"

Faster than Nodoka could follow, Ranma zipped from his chair to behind her, clutching the hilt of the sword in a grip she didn't have a chance of breaking.

"I'll admit he's done some stupid stuff, but it's all worked out in the end hasn't it?"

"What are you saying? You have three girls who are engaged to you and you spent a year cursed to turn into a girl when splashed with cold water! On top of that, he kept us apart because he was scared for his own skin and what I'd make him do to atone for his stupidity!"

"Yes but- hey, you're right; why am I defending him? Oh yeah; because he's my father and I don't think he deserves to die just for being a greedy fool."

Nodoka stopped trembling with rage, at which Ranma released the sword and Genma sighed with relief.

"My son… so manly that you can even forgive the person who inflicted such depravities upon you. You are truly a man amongst men. Perhaps the training trip wasn't a waste after all."

Genma actually looked smug at that, until Nodoka turned to him with a wicked gleam in her eye.

"But that said, he still needs to be punished."

Genma wailed as Nodoka lunged forward with the flat of her sword…

(The following scene has been censored for graphic imagery. Please do not attempt to adjust your fanfiction. We now return you to your regularly scheduled reading)

Nodoka sighed in satisfaction and resheathed the sword. Genma, now free of the ice but completely covered in bruises, lay unconscious on the floor while both Ranma and Ryoga looked at her with considerable respect.

"Now that that's taken care of, let's go Ranma."

"Go? Go where?"

"To the Tendo Dojo of course. You said that is the most likely place that all of your… fiancées… will be present at once, and I need to speak to them all."

She said this in a neutral tone, but Ranma would have sworn he detected an emotion when she mentioned his fiancées. Not anger like he would have expected, but something that he couldn't identify. Could it possibly be… happiness? Ranma shook that thought right out of his head; that way madness lay.

"All right. Besides, I need to show you Dalara Peaks anyway."

Ryoga sighed and bent to pick up Genma's unconscious form, only to have Ranma wave him off.

"Let me take care of him."

Contrary to his words though, Ranma didn't move towards his father at all. Instead, he began to whisper and gesture. Before Ryoga and Nodoka's stunned eyes, a shape begin to form in mid-air, growing thicker and more solid-looking as they watched until finally it surged into reality. The figure stretched its 12 foot-plus bulk as high as it could and voiced a grumbling roar before Ranma began speaking to it in a harsh, grumbling language. The figure nodded its head, though they couldn't see any expression behind that crude mask, and reached out and grabbed Genma by the legs, lifting him effortlessly with one hand. Ranma turned to them.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Let's go."

_Somewhere near the Cat Cafe_

Happosai smirked with glee; his barrel of Nyannichaun had finally arrived, so he could now get his delightful Ranma-Chan back. In fact, why stop there? He closed his eyes and enjoyed the gorgeous image of Ranma and every single one of his male rivals transformed into sexy young girls. What's more, thanks to this mystical ladle he'd stolen from that trio of foreigners, his victims would be trapped in their female form permanently; incapable of spoiling his fun with the application of hot water! His eyes snapped open as he heard Ranma's voice and sensed a male figure approaching his hiding spot.

With a warcry, he leapt towards his doomed prey. In a single elegant move, he swept the ladle forward, splashing his masculine victim with the transformative waters of Jusenkyo before latching onto newly sprouted breasts with limpet-like strength. He enjoyed himself for almost a full minute, serenaded by the screams of his newly feminised target, before he suddenly found himself gripped with WAY more force than Ranma-chan had ever been able to exert and hurled into a wall with such strength that he couldn't even block it.

Of course, his 300 years of martial arts training, coupled with the resilience that naturally comes from having been a panty-stealing girl-groping pervert for almost that long, meant he took no real damage from the impact. He blinked his eyes free of the dust and slipped effortlessly from the crater he'd left behind. Almost immediately he found himself engaged in a battle with Ranma-chan- but was it Ranma-chan? Since when did Ranma wear yellow? Or a bandanna on his (now her) head?

"Ryoga! Come on mom, this way, I've never heard him scream like that before!"

Happosai goggled, then confirmed that yes, he hadn't splashed Ranma; he'd splashed Ryoga. There was Ranma, coming from that intersection at an extremely impressive speed. He (literally) screeched to a halt at the sight of Happosai and the now-female Ryoga, somehow avoiding skidding so much as an inch from his stop, despite the speed with which he had been moving.

"Ryoga? What happened to you?"

"It's all that pervert's fault!"

Ryoga-chan screamed, throwing another futile punch at Happosai.

"What did you do to him!"

"The same thing I'm gonna do to you! Founding School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts Special Attack! Pretty Lady Splash!"

That ridiculous bit of mid-battle drama stunned Ranma just long enough for Happosai to successfully splash and Glomp him. Only to be sent flying into the "tender" mercies of Ryoga-chan by a perfectly executed "Anti-Perversion Punch!". Ryoga-chan did her best to crush the life from the perverted dwarf, only for him to break free with a Happo-Fire Burst. Happosai coughed up a bit of smoke, then looked up at a glowering, and still male, Ranma. Needless to say, Happosai's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.

"What! How, how, how…"

Ranma sneered, cold as liquid nitrogen.

"How stupid do you think I am? Did you really believe that I would return to Nerima and fail to take precautions against something like this? Fool! Once I was cured, I spent a month developing my own variant of the Water Repulsion spell and weaving it into my bio-matrix. I am immune to the effects of Jusenkyo's waters! Pity you don't share my own immunities… Twin Peaks Corkscrew Cannon!"

Ranma held his arms above his head, forming a capital Y shape. Twin orbs, one of lightning, one of blue fire, formed within his cupped palms before erupting forth as twin streamers, spiralling around each other in a corkscrew pattern as they rushed towards Happosai. Happosai almost yelped. Almost. Instead, he leapt upwards, just barely dodging the spiralling beams as they tore effortlessly through the ground beneath him- and almost did the same to Ryoga-chan, who leapt aside in the nick of time.

Happosai seethed with rage as he soared upwards. He pulled out one of his jumbo-sized explosives and hurled it towards the ground. Ryoga-chan dove for cover, but it was at that moment Nodoka came onto the scene- directly in front of the Fire Burst!

"Mom! Watch out!"

Ranma dove in front of his mother as the Fire Burst detonated, while Happosai himself simply snickered and vanished. Ryoga-chan emerged from her hiding spot, covered with soot and coughing as she rubbed her watering eyes. When she could see again, she saw that Ranma had literally flung himself in front of his mother. A pair of "wings" formed from thick ice, now heavily cracked by the force of the explosion, emerged from Ranma's spinal column, spreading out to serve as a blast shield for his mother. As Ryoga-chan watched, the ice shattered into pieces, fell to the ground and melted away. Ranma stepped back from his mother and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay, mom?"

"I-I'm fine. Who was that- that- that… monster?"

"**That** was Happosai, the so-called Grandmaster of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. Some master. Looks like he somehow got his slimy fingers on some water from Jusenkyo's Nyannichaun- Spring of Drowned Girl. I figured he'd be out to use it on me –he loved groping my female form more than any other- but it looks like he doesn't care who he hits. Poor Ryoga…"

Ryoga-chan blinked at the genuine sympathy in Ranma's voice. Before she could say anything though Ranma turned to her.

"Come on, let's head to the Cat Café; we can at least change you back to normal first, and we need to tell the Amazons about Happosai's newest dirty scheme."

As the Storm Giant carrying Genma joined the trio, they headed towards the Cat Café.

_The Cat Café_

Of course, when they got there they were in for quite a surprise. The place was apparently being held up by a pair of Chinese youths, one wearing a tiger-skin kilt and the other a wolf-skin hat. Wolf-skin was apparently trying to touch Shampoo, who proceeded to take a swing at him with her bonbories in retaliation. Mousse was lying unconscious in a heap on the floor, which obviously was the reason why he wasn't trying to stop wolf-skin. Tiger-skin was questioning Cologne in bad Japanese.

"Tell! Where is Ladle Amazon! Give back or Lime crush!"

"How many times must I tell you, you stupid boy, I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about?"

"What's going on here?"

Tiger-skin and wolf-skin spun around. It's impossible to predict what might have happened, but what happened was that tiger-skin's eyes immediately locked onto Ryoga-chan's breasts (she was the one who had spoken up- failing to think the situation through as usual). He then reached out and grabbed them, giving them a curious squeeze before the enraged Ryoga-chan punched him in the jaw, sending him flying into the kitchen before she dove over the counter herself, clearly intent on thrashing tiger-skin bloody. Wolf-skin turned his attention away from Shampoo, who quickly seized the opportunity and smashed him over the head with one of her bonbori.

Wolf-skin staggered away, only to duck several almost playful punches from Ranma, who promptly turned to Shampoo.

"Do you think you and Ryoga can handle that idiot in the kitchen?"

Shampoo nodded, hefted her bonbories and leapt into the kitchen, nimbly dodging the flying array of pots, pans and kitchen utensils. Wolf-skin turned to Ranma, only to receive an almost casual swat on the head.

"Come on kid, you look pretty fast. Why don't you see if you can catch me?"

Having said that, Ranma somersaulted out of the Cat Café, nimbly dodging the blistering array of throwing knives that followed him out the door. Without stopping his tumbling, Ranma reached the wall of the building near his mother and the Storm Giant and casually flipped himself upwards, performing a series of gymnastics before landing on the roof and leaping away. Wolf-skin, practically foaming at the mouth, chased him by running straight up the side of the building before leaping after him.

Now, Ranma could have easily fried wolf-skin with a spell, but he truthfully felt he was beginning to rely a bit too much on his magic to directly solve his fights. What's more, an idea had occurred to him; a way to teach this perverted kid a lesson and to remove a personal thorn from his side. Temporarily blinding his pursuer with a cloud of mist, Ranma stopped at a fountain. Another quick spell later, and the water surged upwards into a crude humanoid form, which promptly froze solid and then walked out of the water. Ranma clothed it in an illusion so that it looked just like him, then spoke quickly and quietly to the simulacrum.

"Lead this idiot on a wild goose chase for a little while, then get him to the Kuno estate- can you do that?"

The simulacrum nodded and Ranma leapt away. As wolf-skin came into view he roared:

"Mint have you!"

And leapt towards the simulacrum, who promptly darted in a different direction to the one Ranma was taking.

_Kuno Estate_

Ranma stopped at the gates to the Kuno's massive mansion and ground and swallowed hard to clear his nausea. This next part of the plan was the part he was really going to hate, but it was necessary. The last of his mana went towards an illusion that made him look at the very brink of death, and he then leapt over the walls and headed towards where he knew (though he wished he didn't) Kodachi's bedroom was.

Kodachi was experimenting with her numerous chemicals, when she heard a faint scratching at the door.

"Go away Sasuke, I'm busy!"

"Kodachi…"

She started- she knew that voice! She flung down he experiment and darted through the doors. There, lying bloody, bruised and burned on the ground, was Ranma.

"Ranma darling!"

She knelt beside the twisted form and gently turned him over. He groaned and his eyes opened slightly, flicking around before settling on her face.

"Kodachi…"

"Shh, my love. What has happened to you?"

"The… the evil pig-tailed girl… she is… a sorceress. All this time, she kept me a slave with her evil magics. But now…"

Ranma coughed, and Kodachi gasped as blood bubbled out of the corner of his mouth. He gasped for breath and then continued in his dying whisper of a voice.

"She has tired of this place, and of me. She has killed me" he made choking gurgle of a sound "and departed Nerima forever. As a final cruelty, she offered me one wish. I know that my passing will hurt you Kodachi…"

"Ranma darling, no! You cannot die!"

"There is no hope for me, Kodachi. My strength fades, I will be gone soon. But I will not leave you alone…"

"Ranma?"

"With my dying wish, I have wrought a gift for you. He approaches now; a wolf-spirit in human form. He will be your new beloved, if you will have him. I only hope… he makes you… happy… as I… never…"

"Ranma!"

Ranma's breaths wheezed, and then stopped, his eyes closing as his body fell limp. Kodachi burst into tears for several seconds, then sniffed hard. She could not cheapen her beloved Ranma's death by denying his final gift to her. She looked up as she heard footsteps approaching rapidly. Wiping her eyes, and directing a final sorrowful gaze to the body of her dead love, she went to great the man her beloved had wished for her.

Mint was not happy; he'd chased this strange Japanese across the town before he'd finally come to this strange hut. It was bigger than anything he'd ever seen; even Prince Herb's castle wasn't this opulent! He finally managed to corner the boy in front of a pair of doors. Smirking, his opponent threw something at him, which he caught effortlessly. He looked at it in confused fury- it was a bouquet of roses! Enraged, he flung a series of throwing daggers that buried themselves perfectly in his victim's heart. Before his stunned eyes, the corpse fell to the ground and broke into pieces, which quickly turned to liquid and seeped away. Confused, he turned to go when the doors burst open and a figure emerged, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Kodachi stifled a gasp at the sight of the figure standing before her; clearly, this was the man her beloved Ranma had wished for her. He was enchanting, primal, with a strange, animalistic magnetism. Kodachi's sorrow burned away as the flames of passion, desire and true love roared through her heart.

Mint boggled; he didn't speak Japanese too good, but he understood enough of it. Enough to get the gist of what this strange creature –was this a woman?- was saying. And he didn't like what she was saying. When she announced her intentions for him, including several things that Mint thought were anatomically impossible, he had enough and reverted to basic, animal instincts: he ran like his groin was on fire! Despite the fact he was one of the fastest of all the Musk, this woman kept up with him. Her strange whip cracking at his heels and the sound of her deranged, scream-like laughter was sufficient to spur him to even greater efforts.

In Kodachi's bedroom, Ranma took a deep breath; that had been too close. For a second, he wondered where the idea to do this had come from, then dismissed it. After all, it had worked, hadn't it? Kodachi wouldn't be chasing him any more, and that weirdo from the Cat Café probably would never dare to return to Nerima. In a way though, Ranma had been lucky. Any normal person would have seen through that load of garbage he had spouted. But then, Kodachi was far from normal. Dismissing the illusion woven around himself, he quickly fled Kodachi's room for the Cat Café.

_Cat Café_

When Ranma sauntered through the doors of the Cat Café, the place was a wreck. Mousse still sprawled unconscious on the floor, while the only whole table and chairs in the place were currently playing host to Nodoka, Cologne and Shampoo. The three women chatted amiably while Ryoga, still a girl, glared angrily at the unconscious tiger-skin, trussed up in steel chains, probably swiped from Mousse's sub-space pockets, and sitting in the only other chair to have survived.

"So, care to explain what happened here?"

"Well son-in-law, it turns out these two are members of the Musk Dynasty, an ancient, male-dominated tribe who dwelled near us."

"Dwelled? Past tense?"

"We thought they went extinct long ago, but it turns out we were wrong. It seems they came to Japan seeking one of the two mystical artefacts of their tribe; the Unlocking Kettle."

"Unlocking Kettle? What's that?"

"The Unlocking Kettle and its counterpart, the Locking Ladle, are two artefacts deeply tied into the history of the Musk. Centuries ago, a group of male martial artists dedicated to 'Form Mimicry', martial arts based upon various animals, settled near Jusenkyo. Feeling unable to master it as they were, the martial artists took to defeating animals and then dipping them in the Nyannichaun, in the hopes that the children they produced from such matings would bear the traits of their animal mothers and thus become true masters of Form Mimicry."

"Where do this Unlocking Kettle and Locking Ladle come into things?"

"You see, simply dipping the animals in the Spring of Drowned Girl would do no good; once the animals adjusted to their human forms, they would easily be able to revert themselves to normal and escape. The Locking Ladle is a powerful artefact with the ability to lock Jusenkyo curses; after transforming the animals, the Musk would splash them with cold water from the Locking Ladle and thus permanently trap them in human form. The Unlocking Kettle is the counterpart, capable of undoing what the Locking Ladle does."

"So these semi-mythical beast-men come to Japan looking for the trinket they never thought they'd need to use, but then Happosai mugged them and stole their precious Ladle?"

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Well, you told me they were here for the Unlocking Kettle yourself, they were so pissed off it was obvious that there was something more than a neighbourly dispute behind it and finally we ran into Happosai earlier. He was wielding some sort of fancy ladle, and I guessed it must have been the Locking Ladle because Ryoga's still a girl."

Everyone stared at Ranma once he finished outlining his deduction, except Ryoga-chan, who was glaring at him; she obviously blamed this on him. Ranma ignored them and continued speaking.

"Now, seeing as how these two probably don't have two brain cells to rub together between them, they must be travelling with a mastermind. And my guess is that would be you, right?"

"Right."

Everyone started, including Mousse and tiger-skin, who had just recently come to. Ranma's last comment had been directed at a stranger in a heavy robe and cloak. Tiger-skin trembled, while the others stared. Ranma remained cool and collected.

"May I ask who I have the honour of speaking to?"

"I am Herb. Prince of the Musk Dynasty and Son of the Dragon."

"I am Ranma Saotome, Master of Saotome Anything-Goes Martial Arts and Stormlord of Dalara Peaks."

Herb nodded his head in greetings, before turning a gaze they could tell was contemptuous, even though they couldn't see his eyes, upon tiger-skin.

"I see you have defeated Lime. But where is Mint?"

Ranma shrugged casually.

"Who knows? Probably still running for his life."

In fact, although Ranma had no way of knowing it, Kodachi had been self-testing some of her latest chemical concoctions at the time of his arrival. This meant she was currently in possession of speed, reflexes and agility to match Mint's, but also a libido half-again as big as Happosai's. This meant she had caught up to Mint, and that the two of them were… er… um… let's… not go there, okay?

"I'll take a wild guess and say you want your Locking Ladle back, right?"

"Correct."

"Well then, let's sit down and talk. Maybe we can come to an agreement…"

Cologne, Shampoo and Nodoka vacated their seats and untied Lime as Ranma and Herb sat down to begin discussing a mutually beneficial way to seek vengeance upon the lecherous Happosai.

_All right, chapter 10 is done. I personally think this is my worst bit of writing yet, but I'll admit I don't have much self-esteem. In the next chapter; Ranma attempts to lure Happosai with a feast, Ryoga reveals his former status as P-Chan to Akane, Ranma and Happosai battle for the rights to the title of "Grandmaster of Anything-Goes" and Ranma, Herb and Ryoga set out for the Unlocking Kettle. Please review!_


	11. Chapter 11

S .5 Part Eleven 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** Okay, maybe I didn't make this statement clear in an earlier chapter. Ahem: I Will NOT be crossing this story over with Sailor Moon, or indeed with any other series- multi-series crosses ain't my thing. I only suggested the Sailor Moon scenario because one reviewer mentioned it and has been the only one to ask for it. I will not use Sailor Moon because:  
A- I don't know anything about it

B- there are enough Ranma/Sailor Moon fics here already

C- I frankly don't really like Sailor Moon anyway

On another topic; I won't be doing any alternaverse stories sprung from this because, as 1 reviewer pointed out, it would just be same old, same old. On my third and final topic; I may or may not use other manga storylines in this. It is set in the Anime continuity, but it is also a Continuation as well as a Crossover. Do not expect Saffron and the Phoenix people though; I'm not that fond of that particular storyline.

Part 10: The Fall of Happosai! Part 1

Ryoga-chan glared at where Ranma and Herb where still talking. Why couldn't they just go out, find that wretched little pervert and pound him!

"Ryoga-chan, it's not lady-like to fume like that."

Nodoka flushed with embarrassment as she remembered that Ryoga-chan shouldn't be lady-like as Ryoga-chan turned a gaze that mixed equal parts confusion, shock and rage upon her. After staring at her long enough to pound her point home, Ryoga-chan turned her attention to a relatively unbroken mirror and sighed.

She was still undecided whether or not her new girl-form was really that big an improvement on her pig-form. She was maybe a few inches taller than Ranma-chan had been, definitely broader shouldered, but with slightly narrower hips and, to her embarrassment, a bust that was at least a size larger than Ranma-chan's had been. Her hair was still black; Ranma-chan's had been red only because she/he carried the red hair genes from her/his mother, but now it was equal in length to Mousse's. Her scowl revealed she still bore the fang-like canines of her male form, though it seemed to her that they were slightly longer and sharper.

Ranma's eyes went to Ryoga-chan and he shook his head and clicked his tongue sympathetically before Herb drew his attention back to their bargaining.

"Why do you act so sorry for her? It was her own fault for being too weak to defend herself."

"So if I overpowered you, turned you into a girl and then tried to grope you, that would be your fault too, huh? We can't all be martial arts prodigies, centuries-old practitioners or have supernatural lineage- yes, don't act so surprised; Cologne told me about what you Musk do, and as a Stormlord I can identify mystical energies. I know you're human only by the most generous definition of the term. Besides, Happosai stole the Locking Ladle from you in the first place, so you're in no position to criticise. Besides, look at it from his view; I finally tell him how to cure himself permanently, without any dangerous quests or other mystic mumbo-jumbo, and then he gets transformed permanently."

"**You** know how to cure a Jusenkyo curse?"

Ranma blinked in confusion for a second at that outburst, then grinned malevolently. He fixed Herb with an expression of deepest scrutiny, as though he was stripping the flesh from his bones with his gaze alone, prompting Herb to squirm, especially when Ranma laughed aloud.

"So that's why you want the Unlocking Kettle so bad! You got yourself cursed, didn't you?"

"Keep your voice down!"

Herb hissed, frantically glancing towards the others.

"I'll do anything, within reason, if you'll just tell me how to cure myself!"

"Well…"

Ranma paused, obviously savouring this moment.

"Here's the deal; I'll tell you, but only if you help us get revenge on the freak and then let us accompany you on your trip to find the Unlocking Kettle- and, when we find it, you'll uncurse Ryoga. Deal?"

"Deal!"

Herb and Ranma shook hands and then clamped arms in the style of martial artists before nodding and releasing each other.

"With that said and done, we need to figure out a way to lure out the old goat. The only method I can think of is the 'Haruki Manoeuvre', and there's no way that'll work."

"Why's that?"

"The 'Haruki Manoeuvre' is an elaborate take on the simple baited trap; you set up a banquet, with gourmet food, the finest alcohols and numerous scantily-dressed and uninhibited girls, then announce it's all for the one you're trapping. When he comes to partake, you ambush him. Usually you add some sort of poison or disabling agent to the 'goodies' on offer. Like I said, there's no way that'd work."

"Why not? That sounds like it work on any guy with a libido."

Mousse wondered out loud. The girls and Ryoga-chan nodded in agreement; it sounded like the perfect trap, especially for a disgusting lech like Happosai.

"Because this is Happosai we're talking about- he might be a disgusting pervert, but even he's not stupid enough to fail to identify this set-up as a trap."

"Yes son, but remember what the Master himself said; spotting a trap is one thing, resisting it is another."

Ranma jumped, startled, by this sudden insight from his father.

"Where did you come from?"

"You dragged me here, remember?"

"I thought you were dead."

Mused Ryoga-chan. Genma turned to her, clearly intending to say something, but his eyes widened at the sight of her and he simply kept his mouth shut and kept turning straight around. Ranma sighed.

"Well, if that's the trap we're going to use, then lets get going."

"Going? Going where, son-in-law?"

Ranma's eye carefully flicked towards Cologne, who simply returned his stare with her own inscrutably blank gaze.

"To the Tendo Dojo. Happosai is more likely to suspect food he's used to seeing; your ramen, Ukyo's okonomiyaki and Kasumi's home cooking. However, I happen to have a portal direct to a land he knows nothing about, as well as my own personal kingdom. I can get the villages from Dalara Peaks to whip up enough food collectively for a banquet, and pick up some toxins from the market-town of Desecration while I'm at it."

"When are you going to show us this 'kingdom' of yours anyway?"

Ranma blinked in confusion- had that really been Shampoo who spoke? Shaking off his confusion he nodded.

"I guess I can take you now, Ukyo will probably be at the Tendo's already, knowing my life. You two can come with us- just make sure Lime keeps his hands to himself, or the Tendo's will probably declare war."

"We should worry about some city-dwelling family?"

"I never said they'd be an actual threat, just that they'd declare war on you. And trust me, they can be pretty annoying."

Herb nodded his head and spoke quietly but forcefully to Lime in Chinese. Lime's eyes widened in fear and he nodded rapidly. Seeing that everyone was ready, they left the Cat Café, pausing only for Cologne to put up a note saying that it was closed.

_Tendo Dojo_

"Hi auntie Saotome- oh, Ranma, Ukyo is here looking for you. Oh? And who are you?"

"Hey Kasumi, this is Lime and-"

"H-Herb. Prince Herb. Of the Musk."

Ranma turned a curious eye on the stuttering Musk prince, while Kasumi smiled, oblivious as always.

"Oh, hello Herb. Are you one of Ranma's little friends?"

"N-not really, I'm j-just in town on a visit."

Kasumi simply smiled and walked away, with the others following her. All except Herb, who simply stood and stared at Kasumi and Lime and Ranma, who stared at Herb. The moment Kasumi was out of sight, Herb turned to Ranma and hissed.

"Who was that?"

"Kasumi? She's the eldest of the three Tendo daughters, why?"

"She's beautiful…"

The way that sentence trailed off, coupled with the tone of Herb's voice and the general "goofy" posture he adopted caused Ranma to smile. It looked like the prince of the Musk Dynasty was in love with Kasumi! Lime simply looked confused as he directed his stares between the way Kasumi had gone, Herb and Ranma. Ranma shook his head in amazement and headed for the garden and his Altar, with Lime following directly and Herb following once he snapped out of his stupor.

When he got to the garden, Ranma stopped and blinked with surprise. His Guardian Yeti was sitting cross-legged at the Shogi board with Soun, evidently having been playing until recently, while Soun and Genma were apparently arguing about something; the little Ranma bothered to hear made the apparent cause to be how Soun could possibly mistake the Yeti for Genma in his cursed form. And that was something he had to agree with; how could you mistake a Yeti for a Panda? Pandas were black and white for one thing.

Shaking his head clear of such nonsense, he sat down to wait for Ryoga-chan, Akane, the Amazons, Ukyo, Herb, Lime and his mother to show up. It wasn't long before they all came out from the living room, Akane apparently comforting Ryoga-chan about her recently acquired girlhood.

"I can't believe that filthy old man would do that to you Ryoga! I'm gonna get him back for you if it's the last thing I do."

"I, um, thanks Akane, but you really don't have to face him on my account, me and Ranma will get him, don't worry a-hehehum."

Ranma stifled a smile at the sound of Ryoga-chan trying to dissuade Akane from her futile plan to confront Happosai, then stood up and addressed the assembled fighters.

"All right, now, as you all should know, the old freak has somehow managed to get his hands on some Spring of Drowned Girl water. What's more, he's stolen a very powerful magic artefact that allows him to trap a Jusenkyo victim in their cursed form. He's been making our lives a misery for too long- its time we put a stop to him once and for all!"

"Now, now, son, be reasonable."

Quivered Soun Tendo, visibly shaking with fear at the thought of Happosai being roused into battle.

"I admit the Master can be a handful, but do you really think it's wise to antagonize him? Besides, he still has a lot to teach you."

"Teach? Me? Hah! That old freak's never taught me anything! He never teaches anything these days, and he drains more money than he brings in. If there is any martial arts techniques worth getting in his head, then I can save them- I do know a Mnemonaphage who owes me a favour. Besides, do you want me to take him before or after he splashes you?"

"Splashes us?"

Soun was quivering even harder than before.

"You know he's got no real use for guys, and he figures he's got you two so whipped that, once he's changed you, he'll have two women he can grope anytime and anywhere he feels like it."

Soun's hair stood on end just before he fainted in sheer horror at the idea. Ignoring him, and the seemingly also catatonic Genma, Ranma continued.

"I have a plan to lure him out into the open, but it'll take a while to set up and I'll need to head into Otherworld to get what I need. Now, some of you have expressed interest in seeing for yourselves where I was for the past two months, so those of you who want to come, please step forward."

Ryoga-chan, Akane, Nodoka, Shampoo, Ukyo, Herb and Mousse all did so. Ranma nodded and then whistled loudly. Only the people who hadn't been present for their initial appearance were startled as Ranma's Manahoars raced onto the scene and gathered around him.

"My son? What are these… creatures?"

"These? They're called Manahoars; all Mages have them. They're actually one of our most deadly weapons."

"Deadly? These little things?"

As she spoke, Ukyo picked up a Manahoar and cuddled it, whereupon it began to mewl happily. Shampoo also kneeled down and began enthusiastically stroking one.

"I hate to break it to you sugar, but unless you count the ability to over-cute enemies to death, these things are harmless."

"I never said they were warriors, just that they were weapons. But that's need-to-know information, and none of you need to know. Anyway, let's go now."

Ranma turned to his Altar and quickly spoke the invocation, causing the mana-pillar in its center to expand into a gate.

"Just walk into the light."

Having said so, Ranma calmly stepped through, his Manahoars trailing behind him. With some hesitation, those who had wished to follow him trailed in his footsteps.

_Sliverspine Village_

Cold.

That was the first impression the Nerimites received of Dalara Peaks; bitter, biting, freezing **cold**. As one they wrapped their arms around themselves and shivered as the icy winds whistled around them, somehow failing to dissipate the thick, all-concealing mists. They stared incredulously as Ranma, rather than freezing like the rest of them, actually danced in the wind and the mists like a little kid on as sunny spring day, his Manahoars doing their best to mimic him. He flung his arms open wide, laughed and then turned to face them.

"Ah, I've missed this! Hey, what's wrong? You're all shivering?"

"Are you mad? It's freezing!"

Akane stammered in rage, frantically rubbing her rapidly chilling limbs. Ranma looked puzzled for a second as he swept his gaze across the shivering, trembling Nerima Wrecking Crew (and others). He put one hand behind the back of his head and laughed nervously as a sweatdrop trickled down the back of his head.

"Whoops, I forgot that you aren't adapted to the cold like I am. Come on; Sliverspine Village is close to here, it's the capital of Dalara and thus where I make my home. I've got some spare sakas I can loan you, and a personal hot spring where you can warm up. Make sure you stick close; you get lost up here and you'll freeze to death, if you don't break your neck or fall into the Ether Sea."

The Nerimites didn't know what a saka was, but they understood hot springs and warmth. Nodding and rubbing their limbs they fell into step behind Ranma. Soon enough they could see hints of a rural village through the mist, at which point Ranma began to speed up. When the Nerimites failed to match his speed he stopped and turned back to them.

"Honestly! It's just a little cold weather."

Any comebacks they may have had died as they spotted a massive figure suddenly loom out of the mists behind Ranma.

"Ugrooooah!"

The figure struck downwards with a massive, axe-like weapon, clearly intending to bury it in Ranma's head. Ranma's expression didn't change by so much as a twitch. He simply spun around in a high-arcing kick, effortlessly smashing the axe's handle so that its head flew off into the mist. Facing the giant figure, he smirked.

"Ooh, so close Krag, but just not good enough yet."

The figure, a Storm Giant, simply tossed the broken axe handle away with a causal shrug. Ranma grinned in return, then gestured towards the stunned Nerimites.

"Can you take these poor people to my house before they freeze to death? I gotta go to the Howl Spire, take care of some business there."

Krag nodded, and then beckoned the Nerimites forward. Apparently sensing their reluctance, Ranma turned to them and grinned in reassurance.

"Don't worry, that was just a game we play, Krag will look after you. I'll take care of my business here, then I'll pick you up so we can go to Desecration, all right?"

Having no reason to accompany him, and hearing the siren call of warmth, the Nerimites simply nodded and followed Krag, whilst Ranma and his Manahoars headed in a different direction. Sliverspine bore some resemblance to a rural European-style mountain village, particularly with the large fire burning in the rough center of the town. The group was so cold they paid no attention to the curious stares of the locals, or to the odd appearance of said locals, instead choosing to focus on the building that Krag was directing them to.

It was perhaps the largest building in the village, and rather ramshackle in appearance, constructed so that its back was positioned directly against the spire of rock that jutted behind it. Krag walked up to the door, positioned between two elaborately carved elephantine tusks, and opened it, quickly stepping aside as the Nerimites almost stampeded him trying to get into the warmth inside. Once inside, and the roaring fire within had chased the chill from their bones, the Nerimites looked around at the mass of junk scattered across the floor and piled almost to the ceiling. Without saying a word, they began to rummage through it all, turning up things like weaponry, ivory figurines and a chain of skulls.

"Quite a lot of junk, isn't there?"

Akane dropped what she was examining with a yelp and a clatter, something which was echoed to a degree by all of the others. She turned around at break-neck speed to face Ranma, who simply smiled at the embarrassed blush spreading across her face.

"Most of it's left over from the last owners- no one will tell me anything about them, so I don't know what most of it is. Anyway, I put up the message on the Howline; every hut in Dalara Peaks will get the message. Are you ready to go?"

Seeing they still hadn't found the sakas (not that they'd need them when they got to Bleak Marsh), Ranma dug around and found them for them. Once they pulled them on (even Herb, though he technically didn't need it), he led them out of Sliverspine to a bare plateau of rock overlooking a deep valley.

"Normally, I'd walk to Desecration, but seeing as how we need to get this over with, and some of you aren't used to walking tens to hundreds of miles in a single day, I thought we'd catch a whirlwind."

Ryoga-chan blinked; she couldn't have heard that.

"Excuse me, I think I need to clean out my ears; did you say 'catch a whirlwind'?"

Ranma simply gave her a grin she instantly distrusted, then pursed his lips and whistled several notes. The sky darkened and the wind howled; before their stunned eyes a swirling vortex of black storm clouds formed and roared towards them. Before they could think to flee, the winds gripped them and tore them from the ground, sucking them into its center before screaming away into the sky.

_Sorry to cut this chapter off before the promised battle, but I'll try and get it up for the next one okay? There are just a few things I want to ask:_

_Should I leave Kodachi and Mint together, or break them up the moment she comes out of her drug-induced stupor?_

_How about Herb and Kasumi? Put them together? Or not?_

_Finally, Happosai is going to be beaten, count on that, but which fate should he receive?_

_Ranma spares his life because Happosai promises to change his ways, though Happosai naturally lies through his teeth and simply tones things down._

_Ranma kills Happosai and delivers his brain to that Mnemonaphage friend of his._

_Ranma drenches Happosai in Nyannichaun and then locks him with the Locking Ladle- unfortunately, he fails to dispose of the tainted water properly and thus a Jusenkyo spring forms in Japan- the Spring of Drowned Young Pervert Girl._


	12. Chapter 12

S .5 Part Twelve 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** I'm positive I've mentioned it before, but I've altered a lot of the Sacrifice stuff for this fic, like the appearance of certain monsters and expanding the list of spells. As for Mnemonaphagy, it isn't a Sacrifice thing, just something I thought would be suitable for Charnel's Necromancers. Basically, it's the ability to absorb memories, and thus gain all of a victim's knowledge and skill, by devouring their still-warm brain. In fact, the best way to get all of the info in the brain is to start eating while the victim is still alive.

Part Eleven: The Fall of Happosai! Part 2

Among the various reasons why Ranma had chosen Stratos as his patron when he'd first arrived in Otherworld so long ago was this: the Saotome School of Anything-Goes was primarily focused on aerial manoeuvres, so the ability to control the wind was thus a great aid in training and battle. In fact, if there was a better place to train for aerial combat than in the center of a whirlwind as it carried you through the air, Ranma hadn't found it yet. He was almost sorry when the whirlwind finally reached its destination and faded out of existence.

With the ease of long practise, he dropped effortlessly to the ground. Herb lowered himself slowly to the ground, suspending himself on a flume of pure ki. Ranma's respect for the prince of the Musk Dynasty crept upwards a notch; the technique wasn't exactly fuel-efficient, but it accomplished using only ki what his technique required ki and mana to do. The others weren't quite so 'adjusted' to riding a whirlwind, as evidenced by the way they staggered away from the places where they had landed and threw up. Ranma waited until they finished before clearing his throat and speaking up.

"All right, we've still got half a mile to cross before we reach Desecration, so everyone keep your eyes peeled and stay in the group. Otherworld in general is dangerous, but Stygia… demons come here for their vacations, that's all I'm saying."

It took about an hour to cover most of the ground; it wouldn't normally have taken so long, but neither Nodoka nor Akane were used to so much physical activity. Besides which, the group kept getting into nasty little "accidents" that really ate up their time. Like the time Ryoga-chan took a wrong turn and ended up stepping into quicksand. Or when Mousse walked into a Bloodvine, a vicious, blood-drinking, carnivorous plant that resembled a massive tangle of thorn-studded vines. Or the time they were ambushed by swamp-dwelling monstrosities that looked like their ancestors had been gators worthy of Louisiana folklore. The most traumatic encounters were yet to come.

"Aaaaagh!"

Akane's scream instantly seized the attention of her fellows, who rushed to her aid as fast as they could. They found Akane pressed up against a tree, her horrified gaze locked onto a decaying, mutilated body that was dangling from a tree in front of them. Garbed in decaying tatters of clothing, and with a crudely carved wooden placard with something inked upon it in what looked like blood dangling from its neck, it was no wonder it had scared her out of her wits. In fact, of them all, only Ranma seemed unaffected by its presence, walking close to it and looking it over while the others retched. Something that did not go unnoticed.

"How can you be so unaffected by something like this?

Asked Akane.

"Practise. Besides, it's simply an example of Stygian justice. We'll see more wretches like her as we get closer to Desecration."

"What do you mean by that?"

Asked Mousse.

"The placard states the crimes; that writing on it is Low Stygian for 'Bandit', 'Murderess' and 'Arsonist'. She was a criminal and punished as their laws decree."

Having said that, he walked past it, calling back over his shoulder.

"By the way- don't get to close to it. Some Necromancers like to cast spells on them that keep them alive after death. They're experts at playing dead until something tasty gets close enough to grab."

Ryoga-chan, who had been following Ranma, flinched back from the body and then snarled at Ranma's back when it failed to grab at her. If Ranma noticed, he made no sign of it.

_Outskirts of Desecration_

The walls of Desecration were in sight when they had their final encounter. As they walked through the swampland towards the city, Ranma suddenly stopped. His body tensed, prompting a similar state of alertness in the other martial artists.

"Ranma, what is it?"

Whispered Ryoga-chan. Ranma said nothing, but bent to the side as a crackling jet-black bolt of lightning blasted through the space where Ranma's head had been barely a second before. Those in the rear ranks leapt aside as the bolt cut down a massive oak-like tree and automatically fell into a defensive stance as numerous lean, lanky humanoids burst from the undergrowth. Their fingers were two, maybe three times longer than a human's, and tipped with savage claws. Behind their cracked, leathery lips sprouted a cluster of jagged, filthy fangs, which the Nerimites got a good look at whenever the creatures burst out into their demented laughter. Jagged "spurs" of bone jutted randomly through their flesh, and their eyes gleamed with insane fervour.

There was a splashing sound as more figures suddenly erupted from the numerous fetid pools surrounding them. Except for Ranma, the Nerimites gagged as the stench of decay filled the air. These new figures lacked the claws, fangs and spurs of their predecessors, but were more thickly muscled, and surrounded by swarms of insectile vermin. A final figure emerged through the trees; at eight feet tall it towered above the others, a twisted pillar of sinew and bone, with its right arm replaced with machinery, engraven with all manner of evil-looking runes and sigils. Wisps of black energy still arced and crackled between the clawed fingers of the bionic limb; this was clearly the creature that had initiated the attack.

The Nerimites tensed, only for Ranma to do something that caused them great confusion: he slipped out of his battle-stance, threw back his head and laughed.

"Morgall you fungus-brain! Do we have to through this every time I come to Desecration?"

A crazed laugh, eerily reminiscent of Kodachi, drifted from out of the swamp. A figure resembling a twelve-year old boy promptly shouldered its way past the creatures. He walked straight up to Ranma, the two acting like old friends who'd just been reunited after a long time apart. The monsters surrounding them backed down, at which the Nerimites relaxed themselves.

Ranma spoke to Morgall in a tongue the others couldn't recognize, Morgall looked thoughtful for a few seconds, and then replied in the same tongue. Ranma nodded his thanks, at which Morgall grinned, baring stained, chipped fangs. Ranma and Morgall spoke for a few seconds more. When they were finished, Morgall smiled, shook his head, and then called to the monsters in a different tongue to the one they had been using, at which they retreated back into the woods, Morgall following them. Ranma waved, and then continued towards Desecration.

"Ranma? Who was that?"

"Morgall? He's a Necromancer of Charnel, a Rogue, he doesn't have an Altar or a domain; he just wanders where he wills. We're good friends. Don't let his looks fool you; he's a Necromagus and over one hundred and fifty years old. And let me tell you; to survive that long as a Rogue takes some serious skill."

"What do you mean?"

Akane asked, curious despite herself.

"Most 'settled' Mages consider Rogues a threat, upstarts who blow in on the wind and steal from their stocks of essence and mana. Which means they tend to react to their presence with deadly force. Mage or not, if you die without an Altar you're done for, so the Rogues who last a long time are especially cunning and powerful."

_Desecration_

A matter of minutes after they'd encountered Morgall, they were in Desecration. Even with Ranma's warnings about what to expect in Stygia, they were still unprepared for the scene before them. Corpses and body parts dangled from the spike-topped walls, crippled beggars littered the dark places of the streets, piles of mouldering garbage where strewn everywhere and through it all a throng of humanoids moved and seethed, apparently ignorant of the rats and other, weirder, vermin that scuttled over their feet and of the foul trash strewn upon the ground.

The scene sickened virtually everyone, even Herb looked discomforted, but Ranma took it with the same nonchalance as the natives. They eagerly followed him, trying to ignore what they were stepping through/over/around as they did. Akane squeaked when a rat ran over her foot, which prompted Ryoga-chan to place a comforting hand on her shoulder and apparently reminded Ranma of their presence, as he turned to them with a concerned look on his face.

"I forgot just how hard this place is to newcomers. Listen, how would you feel about waiting for me in a 'safer' part of town, or at least a more pleasant one?"

Nobody, not even Herb, was truly uncomfortable with the idea of not having to crawl through all this filth. Ranma looked around for a second, then let out a piercing whistle. At the sound, a stranger in a filthy, tattered robe scurried from out of the crowd. He and Ranma held a quick conversation in the same language he'd spoken to Morgall in, after which they shook hands.

"Herb, you come with me. The rest of you, follow Fergus; he's been instructed to escort you to the Creaking Gibbet inn- I'll meet you there."

He and Herb walked off into the crowd, while the little man introduced himself.

"Me am being Fergus, please to be coming with me quick-quick?"

Blinking at his horrible Japanese and his bizarre accent, the group followed him.

_Black Market_

Herb fought the urge to wrinkle his nose and sneeze at the thick aroma within the shop, a mixture of various spices and the bitter-sweetness of pustulant rot. He tapped his fingers on the warped wood of the counter as Ranma haggled with the diseased-looking proprietor of "Pablo's Plague Pit". This was just the latest in a series of shops specialising in various forms of poisons that Ranma had come to. He'd promised Herb that this would be the last stop before they went to the Creaking Gibbet to get the others and head back to Nerima.

Once Ranma had finished his bargaining, and tucked his purchases into his pockets, he and Herb walked out of the store and set off towards where Ranma said the Creaking Gibbet Tree was located. Herb couldn't help but notice that, while the Stygians pretty much ignored him, they treated Ranma with a great deal more respect, almost reverence. Any thinking on the subject he may have been tempted to do was stopped when Ranma started talking to him casually.

"So, Herb, let's talk."

"Talk? About what?"

"Oh, how about you and a certain Tendo daughter?"

"You mean Kasumi?"

Herb did not like where this was going; he was confident in his skills, but he was not sure he wanted to tangle with Ranma just yet. And not just because he wanted his help in recovering the Locking Ladle from Happosai either.

"Yes her. You love her, don't you?"

"Yes…"

"Well, if you want to set about wooing her, I can give you some advice."

"You?"

"I've lived with her family for a year now, plus I don't have the cultural disadvantage you have."

"What do you mean 'cultural disadvantage'?"

"Man, you come from the Musk Dynasty. Once you've been weaned, you don't see another woman until its time to make yourself a bride. Not win yourself a bride, MAKE yourself a bride; you catch a wild animal, turn it into a woman, and then mate with it. To you, a wife is little more than a source of pleasure and a machine for making babies. And I'm telling you this for nothing; if you think that's the sort of relationship you and Kasumi should have, then you don't deserve her."

Herb contrived to look affronted, insulted and embarrassed all at once.

"So, you have two choices. You can rush in blindly, treating her the way you'd treat one of your beast-women and get rejected for it. Or you can listen to me, and maybe, just maybe, you might stand a chance."

Herb nodded, then paid close attention as Ranma drew upon all of the experience he had acquired, first painfully from his own fiancées, then from his stay in Castle de'Cuckoo.

_The Creaking Gibbet_

The Creaking Gibbet was a decent inn, by Stygian standards anyway. It had only two rules: don't cause trouble and always pay your debts. This, coupled with the fact it was well known for being a drinking spot for Mages with reputations for being "weird" (read: insane, powerful and extremely dangerous to anger), meant that it was considered practically safe.

Of course, the Nerimites had no way of knowing any of this. To them, it was simply a place to wait for Ranma to join them so they could return to Nerima. The barman, Igor, had offered them all a drink while they waited, but one look at the selection available had quickly put them off the idea. It was something of a relief for them when Ranma and Herb finally put in an appearance.

"There you are. Did you get what you were after?"

Called Ukyo.

"I think so, he went to enough shops."

Complained Herb. Ranma didn't even glance at him; he simply walked over to Igor.

"The usual thanks Igor."

"We're out of Eyeball Juice."

Igor replied in his slurred, slime-burbling voice.

"I'll take it straight then. You know what I like. By the way, I want to talk to you later about arranging another… 'training session'."

Igor nodded, his ragged lips curving into a grin as, without looking, he reached his unnaturally long arms backwards to the shelves and grabbed several bottles, popping their corks with his thumbs before tipping them into a mug, which Ranma grabbed and eagerly drank. He turned around to meet the rather disgusted looks of the Nerimites.

"Why are you all staring at me like that?"

"How can you drink that stuff? Have you even looked at those titles? Skullbubbler? Eyepus? What's that stuff in the corkscrew bottle?"

"Gin."

"If it's gin then why the hell is the cork trying to unscrew itself? And since when do you drink anyway?"

"I first came here, I think it was during my first month here in Otherworld. I'm not an alcoholic; I just enjoy a glass every now and then, it helps me relax. Speaking of which, Igor, toss me a bottle of Khrul for the road please."

Igor tossed the bottle casually to Ranma, but Ryoga-chan snatched it out of the air first. Ranma sighed and tossed some coins to the bartender as Ryoga-chan speculatively eyed the contents of the bottle.

"You can take a sip if you want, but I wouldn't advise it."

Ryoga-chan, defiant as always, stuck her tongue out at Ranma and then took a swig. Smirking triumphantly, she slammed the bottle onto the table. Then she froze, and fell over backwards. And without any of that usual sissy stuff people do when they faint either; no rocking backwards and forwards, no sagging of the knees, she simply fell straight backwards. Despite the change in position from vertical to horizontal, she didn't move a muscle. Ranma sighed, walked over and retrieved the bottle, idly prodding Ryoga-chan's side as he did so.

"What is that stuff?"

Asked Mousse.

"Khrul? It's a Pyroborean alcohol; an equal parts mixture of cactus sap and scorpion venom, mixed together in a rusty metal tub and then left in the sun for several weeks to ferment. Has quite a nice kick to it."

"I noticed."

Mousse drawled. Ranma ignored him and simply grasped Ryoga-chan's arms, Akane grabbing her feet as the two of them lifted the unconscious martial artist off the floor.

_The Tendo Dojo_

Once they had exited Desecration, Ranma had called up another whirlwind and carried them all back to Sliverspine. He'd sent them back through the portal, but he himself had remained behind to "see to things". Precisely what, they had no idea. After a few hours of watching Soun, Genma and the Yeti play Shogi, and with Mousse, Shampoo and Ukyo doing some "light-hearted" sparring with the Storm Giant, Ranma had finally come home.

Accompanied by about two-dozen virtually naked girls. Ryoga-chan, who'd only just woken up, took one look at all of that quasi-nude female flesh and promptly passed out again. A faint trickle of blood had oozed from Mousse's right nostril. Soun and Genma gaped (giving the Yeti ample time to switch the pieces around). Shampoo, Ukyo and (especially) Akanestared in disbelief. Lime had a nosebleed. Herb suddenly got very nervous. Nabiki forgot all about the biscuit she was eating, allowing it to fall from her mouth into her lap. Nodoka gave a strange smile and Kasumi… did what she normally did: smile and continue working as though nothing had happened.

It took a few seconds for everyone to notice, but eventually they realised that the arms of the strange girls were piled with platters of food, plates, cutlery and barrels of what were obviously alcohols. As Ranma spoke rapidly to them in a language none of the Nerimites could understand, the girls moved quickly into the dining room, setting up a feast. When they were finished, Ranma smiled and sent them back through the portal before kneeling down at the food.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Dig in."

Genma and Soun needed no further encouragement; they practically dove into the food, greedily gulping down the food and swilling cups of alcohol. Somewhat confused, the others quickly joined, soon matching their enthusiasm, if with better manners. In fact, they were enjoying the taste of these strange new dishes so much they didn't even notice their numbers being joined, until Ranma said:

"Hello Grandfather Happosai."

That prompted a series of shocked coughing because, not only had Happosai joined them at the table without them noticing, Ranma was actually being respectful to the old lech. Happosai actually boggled for a second or two before reverting to smugness.

"So, I see you finally wised up and decide to give your elders the respect they deserve. I'm pleased."

"Yes grandfather, I simply must apologize for how often I have provoked you in the past, as well as for trying to stop you. I know now that I simply cannot hope to match you. Please, forgive me."

At this statement Ranma's fiancées were staring at him like he'd grown a second head, Genma and Soun had fainted and Mousse and Ryoga-chan were dumbstruck. Nodoka, Nabiki and even Herb, Lime and Kasumi had lost their appetite. Happosai simply puffed out his scrawny chest and seemed to inflate with pride as he sucked in each word.

"Gheh-heh-heh! Finally, you admit it! I'm your master, and you will do as I say now!"

"But of course grandfather. Please, allow me."

Still in the same servile manner, he gently fed Happosai the tastiest portions of the delicacies upon the table, and then let him wash it all down with great gulps of the finest wines and ales. The others, even Kasumi, looked like the very foundations of reality were crumbling. Happosai smiled wickedly.

"So then Ranma, now will you undo that silly spell and let me turn you back into girl?"

"Of course… **not**!"

Happosai's eyes bulged out as the Nerimites (those who were still conscious anyway) let out a sigh of relief- it looked like Ranma was back to normal. Ranma sneered and pointed at Happosai.

"Happosai! I, Ranma Saotome, challenge you for the title of Grandmaster of Anything-Goes Martial Arts!"

"Wait a sec, what? I thought you were going to get that stupid Locking Ladle back so I could get turned back into a guy!"

Shouted Ryoga-chan, Herb, Lime and even Happosai nodding in agreement. Ranma sighed in exasperation.

"As the new Grandmaster of Anything-Goes, all of the secret scrolls and other trinkets and treasures he's collected over the centuries will belong to me by default. Besides which, I'm sick of him besmirching the name of our school!"

"And supposing I refuse to accept your challenge, hmm? What will you do then Ranma?"

"What? Simply wait. I can always inherit them after you're dead after all."

"Hah! That's years away!"

"Try about ten minutes."

"What!"

"Why do you think I pulled off that 'loyal disciple' junk? I spiced every drop of alcohol and scrap of food you ate with enough poison to wipe out a small town. Can't you feel it burning inside you?"

"Pah! You're bluff- AAARHG!"

Happosai clutched his midriff and fell to the floor, writhing in torment. His skin began to turn all sorts of unpleasant colours as he screamed in pain. Not that this had any real effect on Ranma, who actually grinned at his enemy's distress.

"So what's it to be old freak? Accept my challenge, and I'll give you the antidote. Deny me, and perish. What's it to be?"

"All right, all right! I accept your terms, I ACCEPT- AAAH!"

"Fine."

Quick as a wink, Ranma lunged forward and grabbed Happosai, prying his mouth open and pouring a vial of syrupy sludge down his throat. Happosai choked, swallowed, made a gurgling, bubbling sound and collapsed onto the floor, his breathing easing and clearly no longer in pain.

"If you break your word, it will be then end for you as a sensei; no one will ever want to study under you again. I'll meet you at the vacant lot three days from now."

Ranma grabbed the unprotesting pervert by the back of the shirt as he said this, and then hurled him out through the window and out of sight. He then sat down, only to pause as he felt the eyes of the others upon him.

"What? I gave him the antidote, so why are you staring at me? I simply threw him outside because I didn't think you'd really want to have to clean up after a simultaneous bout of projectile vomiting and explosive diarrhoea."

Kasumi's smile actually turned a little glassy at that image, while the others simply shivered. Akane turned to Ranma and asked nervously.

"You can win, can't you Ranma?"

"Do severed heads roll? I'll whip that decrepit troglodyte so bad he'll be begging to give up the title of Grandmaster of Anything-Goes! Don't you worry about a thing."

Having said his piece, Ranma resumed eating, as did the others, although they all kept a cautious eye on him.

_All right, next chapter sees Ranma versus Happosai in an Anything-Goes fight to the finish! I'm sorry I couldn't post it in this chapter, but I just ran out of space. I'm sorry this took so long, but I contracted a bad case of writers block, as the quality of this chapter should indicate. I just have a single question to ask: the next chapter is Ranma vs. Happosai, but I was thinking that, for the sole purposes of the chapter subsequent to that, I'd do a one shot crossover between this fic and Slayers. Basically, Ranma takes Ryoga on a training journey, but he makes a mistake with the teleportation spell and accidentally sends them both to the world of Slayers. Nonchalant about this accident, they decide to train there, only to have a run-in with a certain fiery-haired sorcery genius and her screwball friends. So, what do you think? Should I go with that idea, or not? _

_I thought about going with Hinako's appearance, but two fights one after the other just didn't sit right with me for some reason._


	13. Chapter 13

S .5 Part Thirteen 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** Okay now, a considerable proportion of you voted that I have Ranma kill Happosai. Now, while I don't exactly like the little freak, I'm not exactly fond of character death either. This, coupled with the fact that several reviewers pointed out good reasons why Ranma wouldn't kill, means I stuck with the current ending. I hope it isn't too big of a disappointment. Now taking requests/suggestions for all subsequent chapters! By the way, just something I think I should have mentioned earlier: Ranma could have gotten cured by following any of the Gods, Stratos was just the only one to mention that he could lead him to a cure when they were trying to sway him to their side.

Part 12: The Final Battle! Ranma vs. Happosai!

The air in the Tendo Dojo was thick with tension the morning after Ranma had challenged Happosai for his title of Grandmaster of Anything-Goes Martial Arts.

At least, it would have been, had not virtually everyone present at the household drunk themselves into a stupor following Ranma's issuing of the challenge. Ranma was the only one up and about right now. Why was Ranma not stuck with a hangover?  
A: Ranma knew his limits for drinking, and stuck to them.

B: Ranma had a far greater tolerance for Otherworld alcohols, due to having drunk them for around six months.

C: As the best martial artist present, Ranma had endurance and a constitution beyond mere human comprehension. The various "training methods" he'd undergone in Empyrea had only increased that factor.

D: The Heal spell can do more than regenerate mangled flesh and bone.

Because of those factors, Ranma was the only person in the Tendo Dojo who was awake. The Tendos were in their rooms; his mother and father were in the Dojo, Herb and Lime were camping in the garden (Ranma had to blink at the sight of Lime cuddling up the Yeti like it was a teddy-bear). He was pretty sure Ryoga-chan had wandered into a cupboard and spent the night there, that Mousse was sleeping at the dining table and that Ukyo and Shampoo were sprawled out on the floor in the living room.

But anyway, he was up and getting himself breakfast from the leftovers from last night's feast. There hadn't been enough room for them all in the fridge, true, but Elementalists could wield frost for purposes other than freezing the blood in an opponent's veins solid, or flash-freezing their brains, or rendering them into ice-sculptures or… ah hell, you get the drift. With the ease of long practise, he smashed the ice-shell off of a drumstick and then took a bite of the frozen flesh; heedless of the way it crunched between his teeth. Unable to thaw out a barrel of Elysium Ale, he settled for simply breaking off a sizable chunk of frozen booze and sucking on it.

As he dined on a repast only an Elementalist could have enjoyed, he was joined by the first of the other inhabitants to awaken. He raised an eyebrow when he saw it was Nabiki; the middle Tendo was notorious for not being a morning person. Not only was she up earlier than was normal from her, she was also clearly suffering the effects of a mild hangover, again totally unlike her.

"Got a bit carried away last night?"

"Not so loud… My head feels like it's going to split."

"Yeah, Otherworld alcohols do have rather nasty side-effects… I could make the pain go away… for a price…"

"If it'll make my head stop hurting, I'll pay any price!"

Nabiki was a bit too enthusiastic in her reaction to Ranma's offer of a hangover cure, as evidenced by the way she winced in pain and clutched her aching head. Ranma sighed, shook his head and quickly whispered the incantation to the Heal spell. His right hand glowing with gentle blue-green light, he reached out and touched Nabiki softly on the forehead, the energy surging from his hand to spiral around her body before dissipating. Once it was gone, Nabiki's expression changed from one of agony to one of relief.

"Thanks Saotome, I guess you have some uses after all."

"Save the thanks until after you see my bill."

Nabiki blinked at that comeback, while Ranma returned to eating his frozen food. Having finished, he walked out into the garden and approached the Altar.

"Saotome? What are you doing?"

"I can beat the old lech no problems, but an opportunity not seized is an opportunity wasted. I'm going to Dalara Peaks to train the next three days."

"That's not much of a time period for training."

"Not here, no, but remember that time passes three times faster in Otherworld. Three days here is nine days there. That old freak won't know what hit him! Tell the others where I went when they're sober enough, alright?"

He never gave her a chance to refuse, simply walking into the gateway the moment it opened.

Meanwhile, somewhere else in Nerima, Happosai was doing what he does best: plotting evil (and perverted) schemes for revenge on Ranma. This was his secondary objective; his first was finding some clean clothing to replace the heavily stained outfit he was currently wearing.

"Just you wait Ranma, I'll get you for this!"

It was three days later, and the fight to determine who would be the Grandmaster of Anything-Goes Martial Arts would be held in about an hour. Ryoga-chan, the Tendos, the Saotomes, Herb and Lime were gathered around the Altar, waiting for Ranma to rematerialise. When he did come through though, he didn't come alone.

Two of the people accompanying him with thin and slender, either bishonen boys or masculine girls, with pointy ears, grey eyes and platinum-blond hair. They were impossible to tell apart, especially with the twin mischievous grins they wore.

The third figure resembled a twelve-year old boy, at least superficially. The filthy, clawed fingers, the stained, chipped fangs, the dirty, vermin-infested hair, open sores and crazed eyes detracted from the appearance of innocence and purity.

The fourth figure looked vaguely like someone in European full-plate armour, sealed shut so that not an inch of bare flesh showed. A crown-like cluster of spikes protruded from the top of its helmet, emitting gouts of smoke/steam. It was massive in stature; Soun's head would have just been level with its chest, while its upper arms were as thick around as Nabiki's waist.

The final figure wore a dirty, tattered cloak, an old shirt and worn pants. He had a great, tangled, white-haired beard that dangled to his knees. He wore a large, floppy-brimmed version of the stereotypical Western wizard. Despite the fact he carried a heavy wooden staff, he definitely didn't seem to lack vigour or energy, moving with ease and a strong sense of purpose. What little of his skin they could see was heavily tanned, and reminiscent of ancient wood in texture.

Soun swallowed his unease at this sudden invasion and plucked up courage to ask.

"Ranma? Who are these people?"

"Just some friends of mine I invited to see the fight. This is Yuki and Yiku."

The twins grinned and curtsied simultaneously.

"Morgall."

The child-creature grinned wickedly then voiced a demented, Kodachi-esque laugh.

"Ferrous."

The armour-clad figure nodded, then placed its hand on the hilt of the greataxe hanging at its side and emitted a sound like a steam whistle, great plumes of smoke and steam billowing from its helmet-spikes.

"And Duncan."

The old man grinned, revealing a full set of white teeth and glittering blue eyes before he approached Soun and delivered a friendly slap on the back. Soun staggered like someone had just broken a chair across his back; Duncan was evidentially one of those old men who turn into teak with age. Nodoka spoke up next, carefully eyeing the strangers.

"So how do you know them son?"

"Yuki and Yiku were my classmates when I was attending Castle de'Cuckoo. I met Morgall when I went to Desecration for the first time. Ferrous is the Flame-Moulder who rules neighbouring Petroglodyte and Duncan is an old Earth-Wielder who kind of wandered into Sliverspine a few weeks ago. But anyway, let's get to the vacant lot; it's time that old lech realised who he's dealing with."

"Before we go, there's something I want to ask you."

"What's that Herb?"

"What did you do to Mint? He still hasn't returned yet."

"He hasn't? Wow, Kodachi must have really scared him. Or else… no, it's too hideous to think about!"

_Kuno Estate_

Tatewaki Kuno, age 18, the self-proclaimed Rising Star of the School Fencing World and the self-titled Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, was not having a good day. In fact, he hadn't been having a good week. True, his quality of life had degenerated since Ranma Saotome moved back to Nerima, but today was especially bad. Never before had he been hung upside down, stark naked and drenched in soy sauce, over the pool of his sister's beloved pet crocodile, Mr. Scaly Green. He pulled himself upwards as aforementioned reptile lunged from the pool and tried to bite his head off before directing his gaze to the one responsible for his predicament.

"Twisted sister, I demand that you release me at once!"

"Whahahahaha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Not until you agree to the marriage, brother dear!"

"Never! I refuse to allow you to besmirch the name of the House of Kuno by marrying that creature! Now come to your senses and cut me down!"

Kuno is not known for his intellect, or his common sense, but even he could see he had made a grievous error. If looks could kill, his sister would have reduced him to ashes. And the cause of their argument, the feral Chinese boy who called himself Mint- what kind of idiot named themselves after a spice anyway, looked almost as furious as Kodachi. Kuno's mind couldn't help but flash-back to about five days ago, when he'd first entered his sister's room to discover –to his shock and horror- her and this Mint boy in her bed, totally naked. Quite naturally, Kuno had gone ballistic.

Distracting him, the two youths had fled the chamber, leaving Kuno alone and spitting with rage. Kodachi had added an extra dosage of drugs to his dinner that night, causing him to forget precisely how he had initially found the two. She hypnotised him into believing that Mint was a new personal servant of hers; a fellow martial artist he had hired to help her train. That deception had worked, for a couple of days. Unfortunately, it had been shattered when he had the misfortune to walk in on the two in the Kuno Estate's personal hot springs. Now, Kodachi wanted to wed the boy, but she needed Kuno's approval to do so. Approval he refused to give.

That was why he was now dangling above the pool where his sister's carnivorous pet lurked. But the threat posed by the hungry reptile below dwindled in comparison to the more immediate threats posed by his irate sister and her paramour. There was a metallic scraping noise and Mint's hands were suddenly filled with throwing knives- which Kuno knew him to be an expert with, having had personal (and painful) experience.

"Perhaps I was being… a bit hasty. Very well. If you truly wish to marry him, then I shall not stop you."

The smile of joy upon Kodachi's face was a sight to behold. She burst out laughing in joy, hugging the confused Chinese boy standing beside her.

"Master Kuno! Mistress Kodachi!"

The Kuno clan's incompetent manservant, Sasuke, flipped down from the branch where Kuno was hanging from and landed on his feet in front of Kodachi and Mint. At least, that had obviously been his intention. As it was, he slipped off the branch, smashed his face into a lower branch and landed face-first before them. Mint blinked in confusion, while the Kunos, having had long experience with this, paid it no attention. In an instant, Sasuke had scrambled back to his feet. Kuno snorted from his upside-down position.

"What is it, Sasuke? Why do you intrude into our private affairs?"

"Forgive me master, but I have discovered something I thought you would want to hear. It seems that Ranma Saotome has challenged the ancient and perverted Grandmaster of his school of martial arts to a trial by mortal combat. The two of them will be battling soon."

"What's this you say? The foul sorcerer Saotome and his even fouler master have revealed the depths of their evil and come to blows? This I must witness! It is surely the will of the gods that I attend, so that I may strike when the two have weakened each other and crush them both in one mighty blow!"

None of the others bothered to waste their breath trying to contradict him, even though they all knew that, should Kuno interfere in a battle between Ranma and Happosai, he would have not only signed his own death warrant, but written it, sealed it and delivered it too.

"Let us be off then brother dear. My darling Mint, would you be a dear and cut him down?"

When Ranma had lured Mint to the Kuno Estate and sicced Kodachi on him, he had just intended to scare him away. He would never have dreamed that she would actually catch him. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) the drug-induced stupor, coupled with her own… unique… mindset, meant that Kodachi had pretty much forgotten all about his "dying declaration". All that he had achieved was to direct her attention and desires from him to Mint. Of course, that suited him perfectly well; as long as she wasn't after him, he didn't care.

Unaware of this, Mint had come to return Kodachi's affection. He didn't truly understand it, but, in his own way, he was falling in love with her. With a nod of his head, he flicked out a throwing dagger at lightning speed, cutting the rope and dropping Kuno into Mr. Scaly Green's pond. The water instantly erupted in a flurry as Kodachi burst out laughing.

"I meant for you to release him, not feed him to Mr. Scaly Green."

"Sorry."

With that, Mint dove into the pond to help his new "brother-in-law" in his life-or-death struggle.

_The Vacant Lot_

Given that the battle between Ranma and Happosai was to occur on a school day, it should have been a private affair. However, the news had somehow (coughNabikicoughcough) leaked out and, rather than fighting the inevitable, the teachers had given the students the day off. In fact, many of them were actually in attendance themselves. The group from the Tendo Dojo hurried towards the spot, only to discover that, somehow, they'd lost Ranma. Happosai noticed them and sneered derisively.

"So, the boy lost his nerve, huh? I knew he wouldn't show up! I win by default!"

The temperature dropped slowly as cold mist seemed to trickle slowly out of thin air, about 6 meters away from where Happosai stood. The trickling mist fell to the ground from 6 feet in the air, the top and sides slowly solidifying into ice. Then, through the mist, Ranma appeared, face emotionless, eyes betraying nothing. If he had some sort of secret plan, Happosai couldn't sense it. This was a cause of slight worry for the old pervert; normally he could always read Ranma, even with some difficulty when he was really focussing on something.

In fact, this was just the first part of Ranma's strategy; the "emotionless act" was a traditional bit of Elementalist psych-out, a way of hitting your enemy's mind far worse than any of the taunts Ranma used to use to distract and unnerve his opponents.

What's more, this was one battle where Ranma was going to go all out; not only to put an end to Happosai, but to also drive the point home to the rest of the Nerima Wrecking Crew that he would not be pushed around any longer. His focus on the battle was so intense, his mental shell so thick, that not even Akane and Shampoo announcing that they'd fallen in love and were eloping could have shaken him. He stared silently at Happosai for several minutes before speaking in an icy whisper that somehow still managed to reach even those in the back of the impromptu theatre that had been assembled.

"Well, you shrivelled mushroom of a man…you showed up. I trust you got all the stains out of your suit?"

The way he appeared arrogant while having no arrogance or emotion of any kind angered the so-called "Shrivelled Mushroom," but he had no response.

"Shall we start now? Yes? Good."

Ranma held his arms out and slightly up, muttering something along the lines of "Ice Armour" under his breath, and hung his head. Then, as the air was filled with the slow, cracking noise of water-vapour freezing, intertwining wreathes, vines and shards of ice slithered up the martial artist's body, forming perfectly fitting armour round him as they entangled themselves with his form.

From his knees extended two short spikes. As ice formed around his arms, large blades shot back from the sides of his forearms, coming back past his elbow. A small, round helm of ice slid up from his back and around his head, curving over the top of his skull and wrapping around to join across his forehead. Then, as he straightened his head, and fell into a fighting stance, a single plate of ice shot up and wrapped itself around his face, up to the bridge of his nose, leaving only his eyes clear.

As he balled his hands into fists, small, sharp shards of ice extended from his knuckles, about half an inch long. Happosai stared at him calmly, apparently unaffected. In reality, he had to steel himself to keep from flinching; it looked like Ranma was actually going to get serious in this battle.

"Uh…can't we discuss this, Ranma m'boy…?"

Ranma stepped forward, single step after single step, and spoke, his voice sharp and cold and dark as the icy waters of the abyss, yet still surprisingly clear.

"The time for discussion is over…You have caused naught but pain, humiliation, and strife since the day you scratched and crawled your way back to the land we now stand on from within the mountain you were buried in. Your reckoning has come. I am here to put you back under the earth."

"So, you're gonna try and kill me, eh?"

Ranma stopped advancing.

"There are worse things than death, 'Master' Happosai."

He sneered out the word master, making it sound filthier than a thousand decayed bodies rotting in a cesspool of their own putrescent blood. He stopped advancing and wrapped his arms around himself, visibly glowing with electricity before he flung his arms outwards. As he did so, several metallic orbs, about the size of a baseball, shot outwards from his body. Happosai ducked, but they weren't even trying to hit him.

Instead, they shot towards the boundaries of the arena, where they floated and began to multiply, forming a circle around the combatants. They then began to multiply upwards, until they formed a dome completely enclosing the arena. As electricity began to arc between the orbs, it was obvious that there was no escape.

Herb had to admit; that was an impressive opening. He made a mental note to think carefully before antagonizing Ranma. He and Lime were sitting with the Tendos, Saotomes and Ryoga-chan. Ranma's Mage friends had formed their own separate little grouping close by. Ukyo and the Amazons where both present, but had chosen to realise the profit potential of this grouping and were selling food to the hungry attendees.

"Prince Herb! Prince Herb!"

Herb's head shot towards the sound; there was Mint! But who was that girl with him? As the two got near, the girl burst out into a shrill, screaming laugh that made Herb want to clutch his ears.

"Whahahahaha-ha-ha-ha-ha! So, you are my beloved's Prince Herb?"

"That I am, but who are you?"

The woman blinked, and then laughed again. Herb squelched the urge to stick his fingers in his ears; that laugh could cut through glass.

"Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Kodachi 'The Black Rose' Kuno, Mint's betrothed."

"Excuse me, you're what?"

That outburst came from Akane, prompting a confused look from the Musk and another laugh from Kodachi. This time Herb damned protocol to hell and covered his ears; he was really getting sick of that sound!

"Whahahahaha-ha-ha-ha-ha! My poor Akane, you may keep that Ranma Saotome. Though he is a noble man, he cannot match the primitive beauty, the feral elegance of my beloved Mint. Besides, how can I not marry a man who has come to know my body as well as I myself know it?"

Akane and the non-Musk looked puzzled for a second at Kodachi's statement, then looked sick. Several seconds later, Herb joined them in their repulsion, having finally understood what Kodachi was saying. Mint and Lime just looked puzzled. Herb swallowed his nausea and spoke to Kodachi again.

"You do know that, as my retainer, Mint will have to return with me to China?"

"Whahahahaha-ha-ha-ha-ha! It doesn't matter where my love goes, for I will follow him to the ends of the earth!"

"I see. In that case, Mint; as long as you and Kodachi are betrothed, consider yourself exiled from the Musk Dynasty!"

Kodachi laughed, Mint shrugged, and the pair of them headed back to where Kuno was sitting. Akane turned to Herb.

"Don't you think that was unnecessarily cruel?"

"I'd call it necessary cruelty- if that woman was around, I'd go insane!"

Having said that, Herb returned his attention to the arena, where Ranma and Happosai were still sizing each other up, yet to make the first blow.

Suddenly, Happosai leapt, aiming a flying punch straight towards Ranma's face. Ranma just stood there and took the blow, which didn't even crack the ice-shell covering his face. Ranma glared at Happosai and, with a single backhand swipe, sent the old master flying. He rolled as he hit the ground, and then had to stop himself and stand before he hit the orbs, glowing with electric light.

As he dragged himself up, he took out a firebomb. Lighting it up, he called out, "Happo Fire-Burst!" and threw it at Ranma, as hard as possible. Ranma extended his hand, shooting a burst of cold energy towards the firework. It froze solid, but maintained its momentum towards Ranma. He caught it and then threw it back towards the evil gnome-like creature he was fighting. It struck Happosai on the head, flooring him momentarily. A second or so later, it exploded.

"GACK!" was the only word Happosai was able to get out before being sent flying, straight into part of the electric wall, though Ranma caught him before he hit the ground. After striking him repeatedly across the face, Ranma threw him against the far wall of the electric cage.

The shrunken master was ready this time, and flipped his weight, stopping dead and avoiding hitting the lightning bolts streaming between the glowing orbs. He turned back towards Ranma, taking a large swig of Sake from a bottle he pulled out of a sub-space pocket and spewing fire from his mouth. Ranma simply held out his hand into the flame, a strange mist wreathing his fingers. Before the stunned eyes of those watching, the fire froze solid and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

"Bah! See how the worm Saotome cannot fight truly, but instead uses foul, demonic magics studied in the depths of hell to achieve his false victories?"

As one, the students unfortunate enough to be sitting near Kuno retreated away from him. You didn't need to be psychic to forsee what was coming next, and they had no desire to be caught at ground zero. Twin Lightning Bolts, a Fireball, an Insect Swarm and a Rock spell later, they closed ranks back around the boulder that marked where the Dull Blunder of Furinkan High had been sitting.

Not that either Ranma or Happosai noticed (nor would they have cared). Quickly recovering from his shock at seeing Ranma freeze his fire solid, Happosai leapt towards Ranma at full speed, unleashing a barrage of hits that normally would have overwhelmed Ranma. Normally. Ranma effortlessly blocked almost every hit, and those few that made it through failed to penetrate his mystical armour. Of course, he launched his own volley of attacks as well, but Happosai also managed to block them.

The two separated from each other, leaping backwards and stopping near their respective sides of the dome. Neither of them was even breathing hard; this battle had only just begun. Happosai actually tilted his head in a minor acknowledgement of Ranma's newfound skill. As the two made slight movements the crowd began to grow more excited; a year spent watching these battles had given most of them a sort of sixth-sense, and they knew that it was time for special attacks.

"Founding School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts Special Attack! Beanjam Blowout!"

A whirling vortex of ki formed above his hands and he threw it across the ground towards Ranma. Ranma didn't even try to move; he simply waited until the whirlwind reached him and then spun around in the opposite direction to the way the vortex spun, his arms out. Doing so caused the whirlwind to dissipate, whereupon Ranma voiced a mocking laugh.

"A wind attack against an Elementalist? That is a fool's mistake. Ah well, my turn now! Crashing Shock Bolt!"

Ranma thrust his hands towards Happosai, in the time-honoured manner of ki-blasting martial artists. Happosai flinched back and blocked, only to relax when nothing happened. He puffed out his chest and mocked Ranma.

"Ha! Some attack!"

Those who had ears keen enough to hear the whistling sound that started the moment Ranma launched his attack were not so surprised when a spiralling bolt of electricity corkscrewed out of the sky and landed a direct hit on Happosai's bald head. Though it was still a shock to everyone. Ranma began to exit his fighting stance before a (slightly smoking) Happosai bounced out of the crater. Ranma simply extended his right arm out the side and hissed. Before Happosai's eyes, a thick black storm cloud formed in the sky above Ranma and an icy wind blew up from out of nowhere.

Ranma swept his arm in Happosai's direction, at which the cloud expanded and then contracted, spewing a barrage of massive, jagged chunks of ice directly at Happosai. Happosai dodged most of the deluge and broke some of the larger ice boulders, but still received a severe battering. He glared at Ranma and wiped the blood from a bruised cheek. Ranma simply glowed with blue-silver energy and pointed at Happosai.

"Avalanche!"

"Don't be stupid! It's the middle of summer, there's no snow here! Besides which, we don't get avalanches in Nerima!"

Now, normally the Avalanche spell does indeed trigger an avalanche, but a spell that can only be used under certain conditions is worse than useless. Three hundred year old perverted Grandmaster or not, Happosai had to admit that being crushed beneath an ice boulder about twice the size of Kuno's ego hurts!

Ranma said nothing, but simply leapt upwards, effortlessly soaring up to within an inch of the dome's top as the ground where he had been standing exploded. Happosai surfaced, blinking away the dust, only to discover Ranma descending upon him. His injuries, coupled with the speed of Ranma's surprise attack, rendered him unable to block or dodge Ranma's Caress of the Jellyfish attack. Mercilessly beating and shocking the old pervert, Ranma finished with an electrified spin-kick that hurled him into the dome.

Charred and bleeding, Happosai slumped to the ground, incapable of continuing the battle. He looked up at Ranma, whether to beg or to plead or to spit a curse, no one knew, as he didn't speak. Ranma's icy skin melted away into a pool of water at his feet, though his demeanour remained as icy as ever. Crossing his arms over his chest, he began to glow with an ethereal blue-silver light.

Those outside the dome gasped as a sudden bitterly cold wind began to surge from the arena. As they watched, frost began to coat the surfaces within the dome and Happosai's breath began to steam, although Ranma's did not. Kasumi shivered with the cold, only to blink in confusion as Herb wrapped an arm of his cloak around her. She looked at him, but his attention was directed into the arena, where Ranma was beginning to speak in the same icy whisper as when he had begun the fight.

"You could have been great once, you know that? You had the skill, the talent, the potential. You could have been a hero, adored, respected and eagerly sought-after by students of the Art; the Anything-Goes school could have become one of the greatest in the world. Instead you chose to squander your potential, to use your gifts solely to sate your own vulgar appetites and indulge your perverse lusts. You are a villain, and all the worse for that you could have been so much more. Well, it is time to pay for your sins."

Closing his eyes, he uncrossed his arms, the glow beginning to intensify as he continued speaking.

"I hereby strip you of your title as 'Grandmaster of Anything-Goes', and furthermore, I sentence you to the punishment you so richly deserve. DEEP… FREEZE!"

He opened his eyes and gestured towards Happosai, hurling a brilliant beam of mystical energy at the prone pervert. It struck him with tremendous force, emitting a blinding light that forced all of the observers to look away. When they could see again, where Happosai had been was a massive block of ice, Happosai's prone form still faintly visible within its depths. Ranma heaved an exhausted sigh, and waved his hand, dispelling the electrified dome. The Amazons, the fiancées, Ryoga-chan, Herb, Lime, the Saotomes, Soun and the Mages all hurried into the arena.

Ranma didn't say a word, but somehow reached into the ice-block and drew forth the Locking Ladle from one of Happosai's sub-space pockets. He turned and handed it to the silent Herb.

"Here. In return for its return, I ask that you take Ryoga with you, so that he may unlock his curse and be restored to normal. Before you ask, this is the secret to breaking the curse of Jusenkyo…"

Ranma leaned close to Herb's ear and began to whisper. Genma tried to overhear but was distracted by Soun tapping on the ice-block and calling to Ranma.

"Is he dead?"

"No. He is dimly aware of his surroundings, and fully aware of the passage of time, but he is otherwise in a state of cryogenic stasis; he will remain trapped within that ice, unable to move or die, until someone is foolish enough to release him. I intend to take him down to the very roots of Dalara and bury him there forever. I will return in… say a week?"

Not waiting for a reply, Ranma bent down and grasped the bottom of the ice-block, his fellow Mages helping him, and lifted it off the ground before walking back towards the Tendo Dojo.

_1 Week Later_

Kasumi hummed pleasantly to herself as she finished cleaning the dining room. On the porch, her father and the Yeti were playing Shogi, Genma having gone home with Nodoka. This scene of normal (by Nerima standards anyway) life was disrupted as the Altar's portal suddenly flared into life and Ranma stumbled through. Literally stumbled through; Ranma looked exhausted, his clothing torn and filthy and dark circles under his eyes.

"Ranma? Are you all right?"

"Let me tell you something; even with a Geomancer, digging through six godsdamned miles of solid bedrock is no picnic. I want food, a bath and some sleep, not necessarily in that order."

"So why didn't you get all of that back in Sliverspine?"

"Because it didn't occur to me Ryoga- Ryoga? So you actually managed to get yourself cured?"

The Eternally Lost Boy –now a boy once again- grinned at Ranma.

"Yeah, we found it after about two days, up in the mountains. Of course, it took me about five days to get back here. I'm not P-Chan or a girl anymore, but this direction curse still sucks."

"Well, I can't do much about that, but I do have a gift that might help."

"Oh?"

Ryoga was instantly suspicious. Ranma pulled out an ornate ring and handed it to Ryoga, who took it with visible reluctance.

"It's a teleportation ring, basically. It'll let you get from point A to point B without having to take route A and risking getting lost. All you have to do is put it on and say 'I wish I was'- wherever you want to be, and it'll take you there."

Ryoga looked uncertain, but put it on anyway.

"If it actually works, then it might come in handy. Pity you didn't give it to me before I left- there were times on that journey when I almost wished I had my Jusenkyo pig-curse again."

There was sudden blinding flash of light and Ryoga, disappeared, leaving behind only the ring, which dropped to the ground, and a very stunned group of Nerimites.

"That wasn't supposed to happen! Wait a sec… oh great! That wretched merchant swindled me! This ring is faulty- cursed! Which means Ryoga… oh boy, he is gonna be so mad when he gets back."

_Jusenkyo, China_

The cursed springs of Jusenkyo were quite, as they normally are, when suddenly a brilliant flash of light and the sound of someone screaming broke the silence, right before a loud "splash".

"BWEEEEEEBWEEEBWE!"

This author refuses to translate the above statement because it is undoubtedly offensive, most likely illegal and probably physically impossible.

_Well, that's the end of that old pervert. This is the longest chapter in this story to date and, I feel, the worst written. Ah well, review and let me know what you think please- I literally live for your reviews. Some credit for the actual fight scene goes to my brother, with whom I discussed events and style._


	14. Chapter 14

S .5 Part Fourteen 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** To those who pointed it out; Kodachi's pet crocodile is indeed called Mr. Green Turtle in the manga, but in the English dub of the anime (which the source I use for all my Ranma fics) it is referred to as Mr. Scaly Green. I basically forgot the more common name. Well, look on the bright side; I could have used the anime's name for the Neko-Ken (Cat-Fu, or Freestyle Cat-Fist).

The "shocked" pun was not intentional, in fact I didn't realise I'd made a pun until Xtor49 pointed it out.

For those who asked; in the anime, it never shows the Principal retaking control of the household. The first episode of season 6, he does return to the house, making Kodachi aware of his return, but he leaves them again and is never shown to come back. This may partially be due to the fact that Kuno hates him so much, and would rather die than give up the authority he has in the household. For this fic, the Principal is considered to actually live in his office in the school and to have no authority (or at least minimal) over the family estate. I do intend to have him finding out about his daughter's engagement though, next chapter perhaps. By the way, speaking of the Hawaiian nutjob; exactly when does he show up in the manga? His entry at the Ranma FAQ said he shows up in chapter 1 of volume 11, but I went to the Manga Scan and volume 11 was about the Ryoga's Home, Happo-Fire Burst, Shampoo's Hypnotic Mushroom Buns and Super Soba stories.

Part 13: The Dragon Spooker and the Wild Horse, Part 1

"And you call my sense of direction bad! How the hell can you miss an entire world?"

"I'm not exactly experienced with dimension-jumping, it was a mistake anyone could have made!"

"What do you mean you're not experienced with dimension jumping? You leap back and forth between Nerima and Dalara Peaks all the time."

"Using my Altar. There's a big difference between jumping through the Altar-network and using a spell. The slightest mistake and it could cast it anywhere. As it has done."

Ranma glared at Ryoga, who looked sheepish in return. It was technically his fault they were… wherever they were. When Ranma's gift, a faulty teleportation ring, had accidentally recursed Ryoga with the Spring of Drowned Piglet, Ranma hadn't waited for Ryoga to somehow find his way back to Japan and seek revenge. Instead, he'd gone to the outskirts of town, summoned a flying monster and sent it to carry Ryoga back to the Tendo Dojo. Ryoga had, as was natural for him, attacked Ranma the moment the two set eyes on each other… and promptly got his butt handed to him.

Ranma had tried to console the despairing Lost Boy by offering to train him in Otherworld, an offer Ryoga had demanded that Ranma fulfil right there and then. Rather than risk upsetting Ryoga, Ranma had sent his monster to carry a message back to the Tendo Dojo and the Saotome house, then set about casting the spell that had brought him back to Nerima from Dalara Peaks in the first place. Unfortunately, impatience on Ryoga's part equals one distracted Ranma, and distracting a spellcaster in mid-spell is not a smart thing to do. This world wasn't Otherworld; Ranma would have known instantly where he was if the spell had worked.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter. The reason I said we'd go to Otherworld was so that we could train without any interruptions. And, as far as that goes, this world certainly fits the bill."

Ryoga nodded in agreement, at which Ranma smirked and shifted effortlessly into a fighting stance.

"Very well then; shall we begin?"

Ryoga tossed his heavy bag to the side and then charged Ranma with a roar.

_Several days later_

After reviewing Ryoga's techniques and general skill level, Ranma had decided that Ryoga had to start working on his speed and on controlling his emotions. As such, he was currently leading Ryoga onwards with taunts and insults, effortlessly dodging his attacks in just such manner as to deliberately provoke him.

"Come on Ryoga, I've seen zombies move faster than that! And if I were going any slower, I'd be going backwards!"

Ryoga didn't bother wasting his precious breath to point that Ranma was currently going backwards, instead focussing of attempting to hit the quicksilver boy. All of sudden, Ranma stopped dead, apparently focusing on something else. Ryoga experienced a surge of elation, positive that he could finally land a blow. That elation disappeared faster than Genma or Soun when told that Happosai was after them. Even distracted, Ranma still effortlessly dodged Ryoga's attacks, then casually retaliated with an open-palmed uppercut that sent Ryoga flying through the air to land hard on his back several feet away.

"Stop it P-Chan, can't you hear that? Come on, we'd better investigate…"

Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune, princess of Saillune, was not having a good day. She'd left Saillune on a diplomatic mission and had persuaded her father that she'd get there faster if she went alone, countering his warnings about bandits with reminders of her adventures with Lina Inverse, the famous Dragon Spooker, and assuring him that she'd be alright. For most of the journey, she'd been right. She'd just finished punishing a group of bandits who tried to waylay her, but as she began one of her justice lectures she'd felt an agonizing pain in the back of her head and passed out.

When she'd awoken, she found herself chained and gagged, kneeling on the floor in front of the leader of the bandits who'd ambushed her, as well as his biggest, toughest minions. The moment they'd removed her gag, she'd gotten into an argument with the bandit leader, who intended to ransom her back to her father. They were both just starting to really get into their argument when they were interrupted by the sudden appearance of another bandit.

"Boss! Boss!"

He skidded to a stop, tripped over his own feet and continued speaking, his voice somewhat muffled because his face was planted in the floor.

"We are under attack! Two strange youths have invaded our lair!"

"Then set the guards on them fool!"

"We can't! They've already defeated every guard!"

"WHAT? Come men, we'll put a stop to them! You! Guard the prisoner!"

The bandit leader and his men charged out of the room, leaving Amelia alone with her new guard. When he climbed to his feet, Amelia had to clench her jaw and firmly remind herself that she was a princess and a Warrior of Justice to keep herself from laughing at the ridiculous figure. He wasn't much taller than she was, pale as a fish's belly, skinny as a reed with black rings under his eyes and wearing gear that looked like it was at least seven sizes to big for him. All in all, utterly ridiculous. He levelled a trembling spear at her and stuttered.

"D-d-don't move!"

Amelia didn't bother to point out that she couldn't move, instead she listened as the faint sounds of battle began to filter into the room. She heard what sounded like the bandit leader voice a battle-cry, only for it to be cut off. There was a whistling sound, and the doors suddenly burst into splinters as the bandit leader literally flew through them, smashing into the wall at the far end of the room and falling to the ground unconcious. Her guard gulped and his knees began to knock together as two boys stepped through the doorway. One wore a worn yellow shirt and had a yellow bandanna with black stripes wrapped around his head. The other wore a red shirt and wore his hair in a pigtail. Both of them otherwise looked very similar.

Pigtail boy grinned a cold, malicious grin and cracked his knuckles, looking straight at Amelia's guard as bandanna boy looked shocked and muttered something that sounded like "Gosunkugi's long-lost twin brother". Pigtail boy ignored bandanna boy and continued to walk towards the guard, who looked like he was about to either wet himself, pass out, or wet himself and then pass out. Pigtail boy stopped a few steps aware from the panic-stricken bandit, apparently unconcerned with the way the bandit leveled his spear at his chest, and then spoke in a calm, casual tone.

"The way I see it, we have two options. One, you can drop the pigsticker and run away and find yourself a new line of work, or Two, you can try and fight me. Which is it to be?"

The bandit didn't answer; he simply dropped his spear and fainted. Pigtail boy smiled.

"Well, so much for those bandits. Enjoy yourself Ryoga?"

Bandanna boy, Ryoga, directed his gaze from the unconscious bandit to pigtail boy.

"Not really. I hoped that so many bandits might prove to actually be of some challenge. I've had a harder time trying to catch dinner."

Having said that, he walked up to Amelia and knelt down. Amelia swallowed a surge a fear, but Ryoga did nothing except grasp her chains- and then ripped them apart as effortlessly as though they had been made from runny butter. Pigtail boy then held his hand out to help Amelia up.

"Are you alright? We heard you yelling in the forest, and then came to investigate."

Amelia blinked in surprise at having been told that, but her courtly manners instantly clawed through her confusion to grab her attention.

"I'm fine, thank you for rescuing me. I am Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune, princess of Saillune."

"I am Ranma Saotome, and this is my student Ryoga Hibiki."

Amelia watched as Ryoga began to silently splutter and mouth the word "student?" before returning her attention to Ranma, who was still speaking.

"So, your highness, what were you doing out here anyway?"

Now, contrary to popular belief, Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune is neither stupid nor incapable of suspicion. Any noble who failed to develop both the ability to judge characters accurately and the inability to treat others with suspicion would, even in as forgiving a court as Saillune, have a lifespan even shorter than that of a jellyfish in a blast-furnace. She eyed the two boys for a minute, and then, judging them to be (relatively) harmless, told them about her diplomatic mission. The sudden gleam in Ranma's eyes made her wonder if she had made a mistake.

"Well now, it seems we may be able to come to an arrangement. You see, we are strangers in this land-"

"That's an understatement."

Muttered Ryoga.

"And you seem to know your way around the territory. What I propose is this: if you will tell us the local areas of note- villages and the like- then we will escort you to this kingdom you have to visit."

Amelia said nothing, but Ranma evidentially noticed her scrutiny of their lack of weapons and armor.

"Don't let our appearances fool you; we are martial artists, amongst the best of our breed. Our bodies are lethal weapons, either one of us could annihilate an entire army of bandits. So, what do you say? Have we a deal?"

As they had been speaking, they had been walking out of the bandits' fortress. Having witnessed the unconscious bandits scattered about, Amelia was inclined to, if not outright believe Ranma, at least give him some credit. She thought about it for a few minutes, and then nodded.

"Yes, we have a deal. I really prefer travelling with friends anyway."

"Oh? You travel a lot?"

"Oh yes, I often have to go on these missions. And several times I've gone adventuring with my best friends. One of them is actually Lina Inverse, if you believe it."

"We believe, but we've never heard of this Lina Inverse."

"You've never heard of Lina Inverse? The Bandit Killer? The Enemy of All Who Live? The Doramata?"

"I'd never have figured you to be the sort who likes to hang out with criminals."

"Miss Lina isn't a criminal! She just has something of a bad reputation, that's all."

"**I** have a bad reputation, but I've never been called the enemy of all who live before."

Ryoga nodded in agreement with Ranma.

"You see, Miss Lina generally makes her living by shaking down groups of bandits and stealing all of their treasure. She's an extremely powerful sorceress, and not always too careful or responsible with how she uses her magic. She's blown up a few towns when she's lost her temper, and she can cast the Dragon Slave, so that's another cross against her, but she isn't out to destroy the world or anything like that, she just wants a good life."

"Can I ask a question?"

"Sure, what?"

"What's the 'Dragon Slave'?"

"It's one of the most powerful spells in Black Magic, drawing upon the energy of Ruby-Eye Shabranigdo to unleash an incredibly destructive blast of magic."

"Sounds like she's one of those wizards who can't quite grasp the concept of using a scalpel instead of a sledgehammer."

"Like you're one to talk Ranma! What about that fight you had with the old pervert? You crushed him under several tons of ice!"

"I didn't notice you complaining at the time P-Chan."

"DON'T CALL ME P-CHAN!"

As Amelia watched, Ryoga charged Ranma and begin unleashing punches so fast she could barely see them, but Ranma dodged them effortlessly before delivering an eye-wateringly fast spin-kick that sent Ryoga spiralling off into the heavens. Ranma casually looked upwards as Ryoga disappeared before nodding his head and setting off again. He stopped when he caught sight of Amelia's horrified look.

"He's alright, he'll have landed back at our camp. Don't mind when that happens; it's perfectly normal for us. He won't have so much as bruise when we reach him."

Only slightly reassured, Amelia followed Ranma, beginning to wonder if she might not have been better off with the bandits.

"By the way, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What's 'Doramata' mean anyway?"

"Roughly, it translates as 'Dragon Spooker', a more direct translation would be 'Dragons step past out of sheer revulsion.' By the way, she hates all of those titles, so don't mention them to her."

"Do I look that stupid? If I was I wouldn't be here talking to you; my fiancées would have killed me by now."

"Fiancées?"

"I'll tell you on the trip; trust me, if you think your life is unusual, you just wait until you hear about mine."

_All right, a short chapter I know, but I really need suggestions for events while Ranma and Ryoga are running around with the Slayers. They will get to meet the fiery sorceress genius and her other motley friends, but precisely what do you want to happen? Should Ranma challenge Lina to a match of Amateur Battle Dining? Should Ryoga and Gourry have a sword fight, with Ryoga using his Iron Cloth Belt for a sword? Should Ranma tell Zelgadis about the one thing that might be able to give him the best of two worlds; the Jusenkyo Spring of Drowned Young Boy? Review and tell me what you want please!_


	15. Chapter 15

S .5 Part Fifteen 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

Part 14: The Dragon Spooker and the Wild Horse, Part 2

By the end of the day, Amelia was beginning to wish she'd met these two sooner. It turned out Ranma was a wizard as well as a martial artist; once they'd reached his and Ryoga's camp (where Ryoga had been waiting completely unharmed, exactly as Ranma had said he would be), he'd offered to get her to her destination faster. At her agreement, he'd encased both her and Ryoga in "bubbles" of swirling air, then produced these strange wings of silver light and flown away, the air-spheres trailing behind him. As a result, they'd covered in one day ground that would have taken Amelia about a week had she been riding.

As they had flown, Ranma and Amelia had talked, comparing their mutual lives. Amelia had told him a little about her travels with Lina and the others, and Ranma had told her something about the people he dealt with on a day-to-day basis, as well as some of his more bizarre battles. Currently he was telling her about his bout with Picolet Chardin, Master of Battle Dining.

"So what does this Parley de Foie Gras do anyway?"

"Well, a normal-mouthed person doesn't stand a chance at out-eating those bigmouth freaks. However, the rules for Battle Dining say that the winner is the first one to have no food left on their plates, they never say anything about the challenger having to actually **eat** the food, do they? The Parlay de Foie Gras is a speed-attack; while your opponent is eating his own food, you speedily and stealthily feed him the food from your own plate. This slows him down, and gives you the advantage; if someone can actually see you eating, then you receive a penalty; an extra plate of food for each time they see you."

"So you beat him?"

"Of course! I'm Ranma Saotome, the best there is. What's more, a life was on the line if I didn't win. It wasn't easy though, especially when he pulled off the Parlay de Foie Gras Counter."

"What's that?"

"He stuck a dining plate in his mouth to shield him from my barrage of food. But I countered his counter; another plate in the mouth, and there was enough of a gap I could direct my food through it."

"**Two** plates? How big was his mouth anyway?"

"Put it like this; he could fit a entire watermelon into his mouth and swallow it with the ease you could do the same thing to a peeled grape."

"Yuck, and one of the Tendo girls had to **marry** this guy? I bet they were grateful you won."

"You'd think so, but I never even got so much as a 'thank you'."

Amelia blinked at that as Ranma suddenly directed them to land in a small clearing, his wings dissipating as the bubbles popped and released Amelia and Ryoga. Ranma stretched, looked casually around their landing spot and then turned to Ryoga.

"We'll set up camp here for the night. Ryoga; you get a fire going while I go and catch us something to eat."

"Why do I have to set the fire? Why can't I go hunting? I camp out all the time."

"You can't go because you'll get lost, that's why. And you get lost here, you may be trapped here forever."

"And exactly why do you think I'm going to get lost?"

"Come on Ryoga, I know you; you could get lost in a closed coffin."

"I'm not that bad!"

Ranma didn't answer that, but simply gave an enigmatic smile before walking off into the forest. Ryoga grumbled to himself as he stepped towards a young tree. Amelia wondered how he was going to get firewood from that without an axe. She soon got her answer. As she watched, Ryoga adopted a fighting stance, his hands clenched into fists, with the exception of his index fingers, which jutted straight out. He stared silently at the tree for a few seconds, and then suddenly struck with the same blistering speed he had attempted to hit Ranma with. As she watched, he jabbed with his index fingers, each strike hitting a different part of the tree. As suddenly as he began, he stopped, leaving Amelia confused as to exactly what he had been doing.

She got her answer when the tree promptly… exploded was the only verb that came close to describing the way it seemed to simply disintegrate into fire-wood-sized chunks, clattering onto the ground in a heap. Some of the larger chunks actually landed on Ryoga's head and shoulders, not that he seemed to notice. Ryoga gathered up the chunks and quickly had a fire burning, he looked up from it to meet Amelia's amazed gaze.

"What?"

"How… what was that?"

"The Bakusai Tenketsu, a special technique over three thousand years old. With a touch of the finger, I can destroy anything."

Amelia swallowed nervously.

"Anything?"

"Well, any inanimate material to be honest; wood, metal and rock primarily. It was designed for use in the quarry, and I've only really practised it with stone, that's why I had to study the tree for so long."

Any questions Amelia may have wanted to ask were disrupted by Ranma's arrival with several gutted rabbits. Skewering them on sticks and placing them in the fire, Ranma sat back and waited for them to cook, Ryoga and Amelia joining him around the fire. Several minutes passed before Amelia decided to start up a conversation.

"So, can both of you do that?"

"Hm? Do what?"

"That Bakusai Tenketsu thing."

"The Breaking Point special technique? No, only Ryoga learned that, I prefer the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken."

"The what?"

"The name is a referral to the training; it translates as Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire. Basically, the training involves attempting to grab roasting chestnuts from a roaring fire with your bare hands whilst avoiding burning yourself."

Amelia blinked.

"That's impossible! No one could do that!"

"I assure you it can be done. The Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken is one of my most-used special techniques, allowing me to deliver several thousand blows in a single second."

"Still, that training is cruel."

"Cruel? No, harsh, but then it's Joketsuzoku style; most of their special techniques require harsh training. At least it has a more direct use than the Bakusai Tenketsu, now that's harsh."

"How so?"

"To learn the Bakusai Tenketsu, the trainee is suspended from a tree opposite a giant boulder. The two are then slammed into each other repeatedly until the trainee figures out how to smash the boulder into dust with a single touch of the finger. It's combat effect is secondary rather than direct; all the physical abuse the trainee suffers during the training thickens the skin and toughens the flesh, making them more resistant to damage. When Ryoga first learned the technique, my most powerful blows felt like a baby's kicks to him. Now that he's advanced the training, you could probably drop a castle on top of him and he still wouldn't stop."

Amelia looked at Ryoga in awe, whose chest swelled with pride at the attention. Amelia then returned her attention to Ranma, new questions welling within her.

"Joketsuzoku? Isn't that the tribe you said Shampoo, Cologne and Mousse belong to?"

"Yep. As Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku, it's logical to assume that Cologne is a Grandmaster of their style. She's the one who taught Ryoga and me our primary special techniques. She also taught me the Hiryu Shoten Ha; the Heaven Blast of the Dragon. I'll tell you this; harsh as Joketsuzoku style is, it's still nothing compared to what my father put me through."

"Yeah, heh, especially the Nekoken, eh Ranma?"

Ryoga laughed casually, only to be cut off as Ranma snarled and grasped the front of his shirt, roughly hauling him upwards.

"I told you never to mention that technique in front of others! Never! I keep your damn weaknesses secret don't I!"

"Urk! I didn't mean to!"

"What's the Nekoken?"

Amelia asked; scared Ranma was about to murder Ryoga. Ranma stopped, released Ryoga, took a deep breath and then calmed down.

"Here, read it for yourself, I gotta go; the memories are… rather painful."

He handed her a small booklet, which she took and studied for a few seconds.

"…I can't read this."

"Oh, sorry."

Ranma snapped his fingers and, before Amelia's eyes, the writing in the book changed to a language she recognized. She read the title aloud.

"Anything-Goes Martial Arts Secret Techniques: Nekoken."

Ranma wandered off as Amelia began reading.

"The Nekoken, alias Cat-Fu, is supposedly a Free-Style variant of Cat-Fist Kung-Fu. Using the Nekoken causes the user to enter a ki-charged berserker state, during which the martial artist's ki is channelled and focused to greatly enhance their speed, agility and reflexes, as well as producing ki "claws" that can cut through virtually any matter."

The next part was written in capitals, plainly intended to be emphasized.

"Note: the Nekoken is considered a false technique and has been banned for centuries due to its high casualty rate and the severe mental damage inflicted upon the survivors of its training (see next page for training process)."

It then went on in a more "normal" tone.

"Most of those who undergo the Nekoken's training process are killed. Many of those who survive lose their sanity, becoming permanently trapped in the Nekoken, a state which reduces them to little more than mindless killing machines that must be destroyed. Even if the trainee is lucky enough to escape these fates, then they will still suffer. The training causes them suffer permanent ailurophobia; a deep and unreasoning terror of cats. When confronted with a cat, the trainee cannot help but flee in terror."

"The Nekoken is essentially useless, as it cannot activated at will. Instead, when the trainee's fear of cats grows too great for them to handle, they black out and subconsciously activate the Nekoken, adopting the mentality and fighting style of a wild cat whilst the technique is active. They remain in the Nekoken until they have calmed down, a process which can be expedited by the presence of someone who the trainee trusts and/or feels deep affection for. A sudden shock, such as the activation of a Jusenkyo curse, can also snap them out of the technique."

Jusenkyo. There was that word again; Ranma and Ryoga had mentioned it several times, but they wouldn't explain to her what it meant. She turned to the page detailing the training process, and boggled at what she saw.

"The training process requires that the student be young, as it requires manipulating the child's mind to work. The best time to initiate the training is between the ages of five and seven; once the child enters puberty they cannot be trained. Training consists of the following steps:

1: dig a deep pit and fill it with starving wild cats.

2: wrap the trainee from head to toe in fish sausages, or other fish products if the sausages are unavailable.

3: hurl the trainee into the pit and wait for the trainee to escape, whereupon the trainee must be captured, the fish products reapplied and the trainee returned to the pit.

4: continue reapplying the fish products and returning the trainee to the pit until the trainee either dies or exists the pit in the Nekoken state.

5: capture the now-berserk trainee and hope that he or she recovers his or her wits."

Amelia swallowed her revulsion; how could anyone do this? And to their own child?

"Not pleasant reading, is it?"

She looked up to see Ranma, dismissed her attempt to return the booklet with a wave of his hand. She stared at him as he continued to speak whilst he knelt down to take one of the cooked rabbits from the fire.

"I was six years old when he put me through the training. I'll tell you this; he put me through harsh training before. He taught me how to take a fall by throwing me from the tops of tall buildings. He taught me how to manoeuvre in mid-air by binding my wrists and ankles together and then launching me into a tree from a catapult. I've ridden Great White Sharks, wrestled with Grizzly Bears, danced with poisonous snakes and fought off packs of rabid wolves with nothing but my bare hands, but he's still never done anything worse to me than the Nekoken."

Amelia said nothing; what could she say? As Ranma passed her a rabbit she absent-mindedly began to eat it, silently vowing that she would track Ranma's father down and punish him for his crimes. Justice demanded it!

The next morning, Ranma extinguished the fire, re-encased Amelia and Ryoga in those air-bubble things and flew off down the trail. By lunchtime, they'd reached the capital of Delasoa, the kingdom Amelia had come to visit, and had made record time in doing so. Knowing that she wasn't expected for several weeks, Amelia offered to buy Ranma and Ryoga lunch, an offer they graciously accepted.

"So, what do you two want to order?"

"Oh, we're not fussy."

"Amelia? Is that you?"

Amelia turned as someone called from behind her.

"No… it can't be? It is!"

Amelia rushed past several tables, Ranma and Ryoga trailing behind her, as she headed for a group of three people. A petite woman with orangey-brown hair and red eyes, a sword-carrying guy with blond hair and blue eyes, and someone wrapped from head to toe in clothing so that they could only see his eyes.

Meanwhile, miles down the road at the spot where Ranma and Ryoga had first entered this world, a strange man investigating. His hair was purple, as was his priestly garb and he wore a secretive, faintly smug smile, as though he knew something you didn't. Despite the fact his eyes were tightly shut, he seemed to have no problems seeing. He poked and prodded with his ornate staff before stopping in the center of the clearing.

"Oh my, my master will want to know about this."

Having said that, he disappeared without a sound, leaving no clue he had ever been there at all.

_Okay, this chapter shot up like lightning; I don't think I've ever posted the next chapter so soon before. To recap; Amelia knows about the Nekoken, Ranma and Ryoga are now face-to-face with Lina, Gourry and Zelgadis, and Xelloss is on Ranma and Ryoga's trail. Next chapter up soon, I hope. Before anyone asks, Ranma and Ryoga are deliberately attempting to avoid letting Amelia (and, in subsequent chapters, the others) know they come from a different dimension. They're not stupid (Ranma especially); that's not the sort of magical talent you just announce to the world(s)._


	16. Chapter 16

S .5 Part Sixteen 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes: **Glad to see that this story has its fans. I especially like your "power chart" MysticSuperSaiyanGohan, though I personally would think Ranma's Ki and Mana levels are equal. By the way, are you the one who PM'd me to let me know you were getting a copy of Sacrifice? If so, how's it going? Not too big a disappointment is it?

Part 15: The Dragon Spooker and the Wild Horse, Part 3

Lina Inverse had to marvel at her luck sometimes. First, she and Gourry had run into Zelgadis here in Delasoa. And now Amelia was here too; just like the old days! She didn't even notice Amelia's guests until they were sitting with the rest of them. She looked up at the two boys sitting across from her.

"And who are they?"

"Oh, I met them on my trip. This is Ranma Saotome, and Ryoga Hibiki."

Each boy nodded when his name was mentioned. Lina gave them a casual once-over, and then resumed her conversation with Amelia. Gourry kept eating, barely noting their presence, while Zelgadis tried to scrutinize them without them noticing what he was doing; there was something about them that made him uneasy. He failed, though neither of them gave any sign that they noticed, and he also failed to notice that Ranma was also scrutinizing him. Ranma wasn't suspicious of Zelgadis or anything like that; he was using the extra senses bestowed upon him by both his martial arts training and his magic training to examine Zelgadis' chimeric form.

During their talks, Amelia had given him the bare bones on Zelgadis; how he had wished for power, and how his grandfather/great-grandfather (now there was some serious squick factor) Rezo, a powerful wizard possessed by a fragment of the Lord of All Demons, Ruby-Eye Shabranigdo, had granted his wish by transforming him into a creature that was one-third human, one-third rock golem and one-third brau demon. The old Ranma would have, in his way, been sympathetic towards Zelgadis. The new Ranma though had immediately begun correlating data in his mind as to potential uses for the situation. First, to break the ice…

"So, you're Zelgadis, huh?"

"Yes."

Zelgadis' answer was delivered in his usual cold, emotionless tones. Ranma took no notice; he used the same tactics himself now and was far better at them, and continued.

"Amelia told me a little about your curse, and you have my sympathies."

Zelgadis stiffened, but said nothing, choosing instead to simply pull his disguise tighter across his face.

"No, don't block me out! I may be able to help you…"

Zelgadis turned a wary eye his way and released his grip on his face-clothes, at which Ranma began to talk to him in a quiet voice.

"I'm not exactly unskilled in the Arts Arcane myself. You've been searching for a cure for a while, right?"

Zelgadis nodded.

"Well, I'm afraid to say there's a very real chance that a conventional cure may not exist."

Zelgadis stiffened.

"The spell used upon you may have been an original creation of Rezo's, which means that only he could undo it, at worst, or that you need to reverse-engineer a cure from a copy of that spell at best. Have you checked his labs, or anywhere else he may have stored his work, for any signs of a copy?"

"Yes, no sign of it. Many of his labs were at least partially demolished too."

"Well, that means there's only one real source of a potential cure left. Rezo was possessed by a fragment of Ruby-Eye Shabranigdo, right? Logically, those fragments would share a rapport, so that what one knew, all knew. That means that Ruby-Eye should know the spell Rezo used on you, either because he shared Rezo's body or because he was the one who cast the spell on you, through Rezo, in the first place. Of course, that method means you would have to track down a fragment, release it, get it to cure you and then destroy it or seal it back up again."

Zelgadis' heart began to sink.

"Can I ask you something though? Why would you want to be cured anyway? I mean, sure, you're not exactly the prettiest of guys with the curse, but your powers are beyond human; you're almost invincible, stronger, faster and generally 'better' than then any mere human, your magic capacity has been greatly enhanced, is it really that bad a deal? Besides which, think about your safety; it's safe to say you've made a lot of enemies, right?"

Zelgadis nodded, wondering what he was getting at.

"And supposing curing you doesn't just render you human again, but renders you exactly the way you were before you got cursed? Just as weak as you were back then, but older and with more memories. Curing you means you're just an ordinary guy again; fodder for anyone with enough physical or mystical might to start pushing people around. Have you considered that?"

It was clear that Zelgadis hadn't, but Ranma wasn't finished.

"But I know a way for you to get the best of both worlds; chimera powers and human appearance. Where Ryoga and I come from, there is an ancient training ground, long abandoned. It is a natural series of springs, but each spring bears a powerful curse. If you fall into a spring then, from that day forward, you are henceforth cursed to assume the form of whatever drowned in that spring whenever you are touched by cold water. Hot water will reverse the curse until the next time you get splashed."

"And this helps me how?"

"Isn't it obvious? One of the springs there is the 'Spring of Drowned Young Man'. A quick dip in there, and you can be human or chimera whenever you want!"

Zelgadis looked sceptical. Ranma sighed.

"You don't believe me, do you? Well, I guess a practical demonstration is always the best…"

"Oh no Ranma! Don't you even- BWEEEE!"

As he had spoken, Ranma had channelled a little of his power to create handful of freezing cold water, which he had promptly splashed into Ryoga's face. This prompted reactions from the Slayers crew; even they have never seen a guy turn into a little black piglet before. Lina and Amelia stared. Zelgadis' mouth dropped. And Gourry dropped his fork. Seized by a sudden, inexplicable urge, Ranma grabbed P-Chan and held him an arm's-length above his head.

"Behold! The power of Jusenkyo!"

P-Chan sweat-dropped at this, while the Slayers ignored it. Gourry grabbed P-Chan and began stroking him.

"Oh, you're a cute little piggy, yes you are, who's a cute little piggy?"

Apparently insulted that a grown man would talk baby talk to him, P-Chan chose to express his displeasure by clamping his jaws firmly onto Gourry's nose.

"EEEYOWCH! Get him off me! Get him off me! GET HIM OFF ME!"

Ranma slapped his forehead, while the rest of the Slayers face-faulted. From his prone position (not that he had a choice; his wire hair had stuck in the wood) Zelgadis muttered.

"He's fought Mazoku Lords, dragons, monsters and legions of bandits and what brings him down? A piglet."

Ranma sighed as Gourry continued to try and pull P-Chan off his nose.

_Maybe I should get him checked for rabies…_

"Ryoga, if you don't let go of his nose then I am going to turn you back into a human, coat your genitalia in fish-paste and then throw you into a pool of ravenous piranha!"

That statement made Gourry and Zelgadis wince, despite the fact they didn't know what piranha were, and P-Chan quickly released Gourry's bleeding nose. Ranma grabbed P-Chan and gave him an icy glare before turning back to Gourry.

"I really must apologize for my student. I'll understand if you want to seek compensation."

Gourry blinked in confusion.

"Why?"

"Hello, he just bit you on the nose! Why wouldn't you?"

"I've had worse. Besides, turning into a little piglet like that has to be worse than anything I could ever think up."

"Like you ever could think of anything."

Muttered Lina. Ranma followed Gourry's lead and ignored her, using a small surge of electricity to heat a glass of water and turn P-Chan back into Ryoga. Seeing that Zelgadis was subtly trying –and failing- to pull himself free, Ranma sighed, grabbed his cloak with one hand and yanked him free in a single effortless tug.

"Thanks. You're pretty strong."

"We're martial artists, it's our job to be strong. That's why Amelia is paying us to be her bodyguards."

The Slayers looked up at that piece of information, especially Amelia.

"Since when am I paying you?"

"You've been telling us how to get around, haven't you? That was our fee. And I think it's a pretty cheap payment, considering what you've hired."

"And what has she hired?"

Lina asked.

"We don't need to brag. All you need to know is that we've survived training methods that would probably kill you."

"I'll say."

When the Slayers looked at Amelia in confusion, she pulled out the Nekoken booklet Ranma had given her and showed it to them. Ryoga leaned over to Ranma and whispered in his ear as they muttered amongst themselves.

"Where did that booklet come from anyway? I would have thought you would have destroyed it when you took control of the Anything-Goes School."

"For a while, I did consider destroying it. But I figured that there were probably other copies out there, and people stupid or unlucky enough to actually train in it without noticing the warning, like my father. So this 'revised' booklet clearly outlines the dangers and the effects of the Nekoken before explaining how the training works- in plain, simple language. I had one of my Brainiacs scribe it while I was carting Happosai down to the roots of Dalara Peaks."

Ranma finished as a chorus of "No way!"s erupted from the Slayers. Ranma blinked at the expression on Gourry's face. Lina snorted in derision.

"Oh yeah, like anyone would really do that to a person."

"My father did it to me when I was six years old. I've **lived **through that nightmare. Are you calling me a liar or a weakling?"

Lina, stubborn as always, didn't move an inch. Her companions, having a greater sense of self-preservation, and Ryoga, who had experienced the wrong end of Ranma's wrath before, hastily got out of the area. Ranma leaned closer, then gave Lina a cold, malicious smile.

"They say seeing is believing. Perhaps a demonstration of our talent?"

Lina nodded, at which Ranma leapt from the chair he was sitting in to Ryoga's side in a single elegant movement.

"C'mon Ryoga; let's find someplace where they won't mind us ripping everything apart."

As the two darted from the inn Lina snorted.

"This I gotta see."

Seeing as how all the food had been eaten, the Slayers ran from the inn, just in time to witness first Ranma and then Ryoga leap up to the roof of a nearby building with all the casual ease of someone stepping over a puddle. Three Raywings later and they were zooming behind the roof-hopping duo.

The spot Ranma and Ryoga had chosen was well on the outskirts of town, close to the forest. Ryoga dumped his backpack near the spot where the Slayers had been told to stay.

"All right Ryoga, let's make this interesting. I'll take it easy on you, see how long you can last."

"You're going to regret doing that!"

Ranma smirked and slipped into a (somehow mocking) battle-stance as Ryoga drew his umbrella and charged forward. Ryoga lashed out with his umbrella, Ranma dodging each blow before launching a sweeping kick that caused Ryoga to leap upwards. Ryoga raised his umbrella over his head and dove downwards, Ranma flipped into a handstand as Ryoga attempted to smash him into the ground with the end of the umbrella. In a repeat of his first battle with Ryoga at Furinkan, Ranma effortlessly leapt away as the earth simply evaporated under him, leaving Ryoga in the center of a two-foot deep and six-foot wide crater. Ranma landed on the crater's edge as Ryoga gracefully rose from his crouch.

From the sidelines, Lina scoffed.

"So he's strong, big deal."

"He's pretty quick too."

Gourry pointed out in his usual clueless manner. Lina hit him on the head with her fist as Ryoga suddenly opened his umbrella, drew his arm back and then thrust it at Ranma, launching the umbrella so that it shot across the ground, spinning like a top. Unlike the first time he tried this though the umbrella didn't simply zip across the ground. This time the umbrella was spinning so fast that it actually gouged up the ground it shot across, rendering it into a spinning vortex of dust and gravel. Just like the last time, Ranma simply dodged it, the umbrella shot past him into a tree close to where the Slayers were sitting, grinding it into sawdust before falling closed and falling over. Amelia tried to pick it up. Tried.

"Oof! This thing is heavy!"

Gourry went over and had a try; it took both hands and some straining, but he managed to pick it up.

"Sheesh, this thing must weigh a couple of tons. And he wafts it around like a feather!"

Ranma's eye flicked back from the Slayers towards his opponent.

"You've been practising with that, haven't you?"

Ryoga said nothing (and Ranma rejoiced; maybe he was learning how to control himself after all) and simply launched himself at Ranma. He launched a vicious flurry of attacks, but Ranma simply dodged, blocked or countered each and every single attack. Ryoga was beginning to get mad.

"Come on Ranma! Fight back!"

"Okay."

_Me and my big mouth…_

At his next punch, Ranma didn't simply dodge it but seized Ryoga's arm in an iron grip and then leapt with all of his strength straight up. The two martial artists rocketed into the sky, where Ranma used his Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken to mercilessly batter Ryoga before he flipped and threw Ryoga, full-force, into the ground. Already partially stunned, Ryoga was unable to land himself, smashing into the ground with such force he actually bounced. And that was when Ranma landed on his stomach and thrust-kicked with both legs, driving Ryoga into the ground and flipping to gracefully land before the stunned Slayers.

"What? Why are you staring at me like that?"

"You'd convinced us! You didn't have to kill him!"

"Kill? Ryoga? With that? Oh no, he's perfectly healthy. If I know Ryoga, and unfortunately I do, then he should resurface… right about now."

"RANMAAA!"

The Slayers 'eep'ed and cringed as one as a furious Ryoga, faintly glowing red, burst up behind Ranma and lashed out with a blow that looked like it could take Ranma's head off. Ranma dodged it and, in the same move, spun around in a high-kick that smashed into the side of Ryoga's head, hurling him across the clearing and straight through a tree. Ryoga shook his head like a dog with water in its ear, snarled and then charged Ranma, the red glow even brighter.

"That's it pig-boy, get good and mad, may as well end the show with a bang…"

As the Slayers watched, Ranma led Ryoga in a spiralling pattern, his face blank and emotionless. The moment he reached the center he spun around and launched an uppercut, shouting:

"Hiryu Shoten Ha!"

The Slayers had no idea what he was doing. But they found out. There was a mighty explosion and Ryoga was launched howling into the sky by a swirling vortex. It carried him high into the sky before shooting back down, Ranma leapt aside to avoid being caught in the crater it formed. Once the vortex dissipated, Ranma leapt down into the crater and then leapt back out with the unconscious form of Ryoga slung across his shoulders. As he walked over and picked up Ryoga's backpack and umbrella, Lina turned to Ranma, her eyes burning with determination.

"Teach me how to do that!"

"No."

Lina pouted like a little kid while the other Slayers heaved a sigh of relief; they really didn't want to even think about what Lina might do with that attack. The group walked back to Delasoa, Lina trying to persuade Ranma to teach her the Hiryu Shoten Ha and Ranma refusing every advance. No sooner had they gotten out of sight than Xellos teleported onto the scene, drawn by the intense surge of rage that was the Hiryu Shoten Ha. He sighed when he beheld the scene; all that lovely destruction and he missed it.

"Oh well, I'm getting closer at least."

He then disappeared again.

_All right, not my best chapter, in fact probably my worst; I just can't write fight-scenes. Seeing as how the "Ranma & Ryoga in the Slayers World" arc will probably take a while, I was wondering; what do you think if I do 3 or so chapters of that arc, then do a "sub"-chapter detailing events occurring in Nerima while Ranma & Ryoga are absent? Go or no go?_


	17. Chapter 17

S .5 Part Seventeen 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** Sorry this took so long to post; I almost had it finished, but a &$!$ power surge erased it on me! Then my computer had to go to the shop for another week, so I was really delayed. Now, some of you did request that I break up the "Ranma & Ryoga in the Slayers World" story arc but, as some others pointed out, there's not much happening in Nerima bar Herb's courtship of Kasumi and Mint & Kodachi's upcoming wedding. I can save that for a later chapter. I'm not entirely sure as of now, but I might have Ranma and Ryoga bring the Slayers along to Nerima for a chapter or two (Zelgadis does need to get to Jusenkyo after all). In an unusual turn of events, I actually have the next few chapters planned out, so I may be able to get them up sooner. Although if they take as long as this one did, that might not be a possibility.

One final note: I haven't actually seen much of the Slayers, so I apologise if they're Out of Character and/or if I get something(s) wrong.

Part 16: The Loss of Ranma's Memories

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"I'll give you 30 gold coins?"

"No."

"100 gold coins?"

"No!"

"Dammit, 1000 gold coins!"

"NO! I will not teach you the Hiryu Shoten Ha! So stop asking!"

The Slayers sighed as Lina kept trying to haggle Ranma into teaching her the Hiryu Shoten Ha, though Ranma simply ignored her efforts. Ryoga, who'd woken back up after about ten minutes of being carried and was now walking on his own at the back of the party, leaned over to Gourry.

"Is she always like this?"

"Yeah, sometimes she's a lot worse."

Ryoga looked at Lina and shuddered; fortunately for him Lina didn't notice. The group walked through the town until they reached the castle of Delasoa, where Amelia had to go to complete her mission. Amelia turned to Ranma and Ryoga.

"Thank you for bringing me here; you can go back with Miss Lina and the others and wait for me."

"Sorry, but no can do; as your bodyguards it is our duty to accompany you."

"Yeah, and besides which we're coming with you."

"What!"

Amelia looked horrified at that proclamation of Lina's. Lina looked smug, Zelgadis shared Amelia's horrified look, Ranma and Ryoga looked confused and Gourry… was his usual clueless self. This wouldn't be the first time Lina "invited" herself on one of Amelia's diplomatic missions, and every other time she had the mission turned out to be a disaster. Swallowing her complaints, rebuttals and persuasions, which she knew would be futile anyway, Amelia walked through the castle's main doors.

Tried to at any rate. The guards on duty crossed their halberds before she got to the doors, blocking her off. Amelia looked up in confusion.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"An appointment? No, but I am expected; I am Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune, princess of Saillune."

"Sorry, but if you don't have an appointment then you can't come in."

"But!"

"No appointment, no entry, no argument."

"Where can I get an appointment then?"

"Inside the castle."

"So can I go in?"

"Not without an appointment."

A princess and a Warrior of Justice does not lose her temper, a princess and a Warrior of Justice does not lose her temper, princess and a Warrior of Justice does not lose her temper…

Amelia gritted her teeth as she repeated that mantra ad infinitum within her head to prevent herself from causing a diplomatic incident. She kept her eyes tightly focused on the ground to help herself retain control. Thus, when she heard a grunt of exertion and a strange cracking noise coming from behind her, followed by the guards dropping their halberds in shock, she was confused.

"Okay, okay! You can go in! We're out of here!"

Amelia blinked in confusion as the guards promptly dropped their halberds and ran off. She turned back to the others and promptly found her answer. Like many castles, the castle of Delasoa had a massive piece of marble sculpture located outside its gates; in this case an ornate pillar-like statue. The column itself was at least three times taller than Gourry, and four times as broad. Coupled with the massive pedestal it rested on, it had to weigh over a ton. And Ranma was now holding it over his head, without showing the slightest sign of exertion, and looking like he was about to hurl it at the castle gates. He shrugged at her questioning gaze (which is rather hard to do when you're holding your arms over your head).

"What? They let us in didn't they? It's not like I really would have hit them with it."

Having no comeback to that, Amelia simply turned and walked through the gates, Ryoga and the Slayers following behind as Ranma dropped the statue with a sonorous boom before joining them. Inside, Amelia began to feel uneasy; it was too quiet. Where were the other guards? The bustling servants? The court officials and their seemingly endless complaints?

"HELLO! Is anyone there?"

Amelia stifled a yelp as Ryoga suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs behind her. On an instinct she whirled around and bopped him over the head with her clenched fist, resulting in a sprained wrist for her and an apologetic look from Ryoga. Ranma heaved an exasperated sigh.

"I take it that this sort of silence is not normal?"

"Why would it be?"

"Different cultures, different customs. Very well, I suppose I can scout ahead for you, just wait here until I return."

"You? A scout? Pull the other one!"

Lina scoffed. Ranma turned to her and fixed her with an icy stare.

"A student of Anything-Goes Martial Arts learns much of the arts of deception and infiltration, and as the new Grandmaster I have access to the Ultimate Technique of Anything-Goes; the Extradimensional Warp. Behold. Now you see me… and now you don't."

Before their stunned eyes, Ranma pulled a fighting pose and literally disappeared, just there one second, gone the next. As they blinked in astonishment, Ranma's faint laugh suddenly echoed from all around them.

"By allowing the user to physically, spiritually and mentally merge with his surrounding environment, the Extradimensional Warp renders them impossible to attack. It is the ultimate technique for observation, evasion and retreat."

"What about attack?"

That question came from Gourry, of all people. Even Ranma, who had no idea of Gourry rather dumb nature, was stunned for a few seconds.

"It is impossible to attack while using the Extradimensional Warp, and the creator never intended to use it as an offensive technique."

At that reply Gourry blinked in confusion.

"Why go to all the trouble of designing a technique like that if you can't even fight with it?"

"The creator of the Extradimensional Warp, who was also the founder of Anything-Goes Martial Arts and the previous Grandmaster, was a pervert of such lechery you couldn't begin to comprehend the depths of it. He was literally addicted to groping woman, ogling them and stealing their underwear, actually growing weak if he was unable to do so. He designed the Extradimensional Warp to be able to spy on them while they were bathing."

The Slayers didn't speak, but Ranma could evidentially see the looks on their faces. His next words carried a heavy undertone of menace, spite, bitterness and hatred.

"You needn't worry; I am **nothing** like him, and he's gone now anyway."

"I'll say he is."

Muttered Ryoga, his mind flashing back to the confrontation between Ranma and Happosai for the position of Grandmaster of Anything-Goes. The Slayers, who didn't know what he was talking about, simply looked confused. They waited for Ranma to reply, but there was nothing but silence. As Ranma had evidentially gone off to scout, they simply waited. Ranma finally showed up after about ten minutes, reappearing in the same manner as he had disappeared, shaking his head and muttering to himself.

"Not good, not good, this is not good."

"What isn't good? What did you find?"

"Blood and debris; it looks like there was some kind of battle fought here, though I couldn't find any bodies. I went through every room; nothing. The only room I couldn't get into was the throne room-"

"How do you know it's the throne room?"

"Because none of the other rooms contained a throne, that's how. Anyway, there's some sort of magical barrier sealing the entrance; I'm not familiar with the magic of this land so I figured it would be best to get an expert on the subject."

Ranma looked straight as Lina as he said this; if he was aiming to flatter her than he succeeded. Lina grinned smugly and puffed out her chest with pride, an action that prompted Gourry to comment on how Amelia's bust was still larger than Lina's no matter what she did. Once he regained consciousness, Ranma led them to the throne room. The "barrier" Ranma had mentioned turned out to be a coruscating veil of purplish energy coated over the door. More out of reflex than any belief it would work, Lina cast the Unlock spell on the door. To her great surprise, the barrier suddenly froze solid and shattered into pieces, the doors suddenly swinging inwards.

As one, the Slayers, Ranma and Ryoga prepared for battle, drawing weapons, preparing spells and instinctively slipping into fighting stances. Again as one, they charged into the room only to, as one, skid to halt. The former occupants of the castle, some several dozen souls, were now grouped inside the throne room, each bearing hideous, though bloodless, wounds and each with a mindlessly hungry gaze in their eyes. One of the figures, who wore what looked like a battered crown, turned towards them, raised its arms (which seemed to have had chunks bitten out of them) and voiced a hungry moan, attracting the attention of the other figures.

Ranma, Ryoga and the Slayers instinctively slipped into fighting positions, ready for the anticipated assault. They were distracted from the threat of imminent death by a sudden shrill, maniacal laugh, spilling from the throat of a figure slouching in the throne, whose presence they had failed to detect. As the figure stopped laughing, the group uncovered their ears and blinked- with the exception of Ranma, who seemed curiously unaffected. Lina shook her head as though pained.

"L-Sama! I hoped I'd never have to hear anything like that again! Sounds just like my old partner!"

"I had a sister who laughed just like that."

"Sounds like one of Ranma's ex-fiancées."

This prompted confused looks from the rest of the group, until the disgruntled figure on the throne coughed loudly to draw their attention back to him. Once their eyes were back upon him, he swept out his cloak and put his hands on his hips in one of the traditional "Evil Overlord" stances. In appearance, he looked pretty much human, except his ears were long and pointed, sticking out from the sides of his head. In addition, his skin was jet-black and his hair stark white, whilst his eyes were a vivid green in colour. All of the group were instantly alert once more, Ranma especially. He didn't know exactly what this creature was, but he knew it wasn't human. Lina seemed to know what it was though, given her reaction.

"What are you doing here, Mazoku?"

The figure laughed his horrible laugh once more, causing gritted teeth amongst the group before answering in a mocking tone.

"I am Valmont, and you must be none other than the infamous Lina Inverse. I must say, I never expected that I would face you here. But, it matters not. I will not be prevented from achieving my goal! At them my beasts! Feast upon their living flesh whilst I complete my task!"

He voiced another horrible laugh as he leapt behind the throne. Only Ranma was capable of noticing that he activated some sort of switch behind the throne and disappeared as the former occupants of the castle descended upon them like a ravening horde. The enclosed environment preventing her from unleashing a Dragon Slave, Lina instead went with her second-favourite choice of spells.

"Fireball!"

The crackling globe of magical flames erupted from her hands to engulf about a dozen flesh-eaters, filling the air with the stench of burning meat. She grinned and pulled a victory sign, only to stare as the creatures she had blasted kept coming, despite the flames greedily consuming their flesh. She snapped out of her stupor and resumed blasting.

Zelgadis wasn't fairing much better; none of the Spirit Shamanism spells that he knew seemed to have any effect on these creatures, and they kept pressing in on him irregardless of the way his Astral Vine-empowered sword rent their flesh and bones. One of them actually managed to grab his arm, biting down on his stony flesh with fanatic eagerness, despite the audible cracks as its teeth shattered. It couldn't hurt Zelgadis, but it was distracting, so he punched it loose, literally smashing its face as he did so. Gourry on the other hand was in a much more serious jam; he didn't have Zelgadis' protective skin, so he was forced to go on the defensive to keep from being bitten.

Amelia was really in trouble; with her limited array of offensive spells, coupled with her refusal to use a sword, she was almost entirely dependant upon her Visfarank spell to fight off the creatures. Unfortunately, the blows of her magic-enhanced fists seemed to have little effect on the creatures other than to knock them reeling for a few seconds. Despite all of her combat experience, she couldn't help but voice a scream when one of the creatures managed to grapple her, immobilising her arms and opening its jaws in preparation to bite her. And that was when Ryoga suddenly made an appearance, using his umbrella like a sword to smash through the creature's forearms.

It raised the stumps of its arms to its eyes and stared at them stupidly, before simply moaning and trying to bite Ryoga, who promptly crushed its skull like a rotten egg with his umbrella. Suddenly a whole group of the creatures tried to swamp Ryoga, who retaliated viciously with punches, kicks and his umbrella before one of them managed to get the drop on him and seize him from behind by his upper arms, rendering him unable to reach the wretched creature. It moaned and gnashed its teeth as Ryoga struggled wildly, clinging to him like a leech as he tried to shake it off and crush it.

Was this how it was going to end? After all his epic battles with Ranma, all his hard training and wanderings, was he to be eaten alive by a mindless husk? His musings on death and the cruel whims of fate were disrupted by a sudden wet crunching crack as the iron grip on his upper arms disappeared. He partially turned to see the creature sliding bonelessly to the ground, its head lolling at an obscene angle. He quickly returned his attention to the battle, striking out around him like a man possessed. Though he didn't seem to actually be killing any of the creatures, he was sure their ranks were thinning. But how? He turned as a series of ghastly crunching cracking noises seized his attention, only for his jaw to drop in disbelief.

Ranma was gliding through the ranks of the grasping creatures; literally flowing around their clumsy clutches and bites as he delivered swift and deceptively gentle-looking blows of his own. As Ryoga watched in disbelief, Ranma's hand lashed out, barely seeming to touch the throat of a creature confronting him, which promptly dropped, its neck shattered like a rotten twig. Ranma stopped when he saw Ryoga, grinned and laughed pleasantly, sending icy fingers skittering up and down Ryoga's spine.

"They're only Cannibal Zombies; all you have to do is destroy the head or the spinal column and they drop like flies!"

As Ranma said this two of the so-called "Cannibal Zombies" approached from Ranma's sides. Without so much as a flicker of change in his expression, Ranma's splay-fingered right hand shot out, smashing through the opening jaws of one zombie before erupting in a shower of gore and bone chips from the back of its head. At the same time his open-fingered left hand lashed out and burrowed into the chest of the other one, worming its way deep into the body cavity before twisting something within so that it snapped with an audible crunch. In a single swift movement Ranma ripped both hands free, causing the two bodies to drop to the ground whilst erupting twin showers of gore.

He laughed again, raising his arms, coated almost to the elbow in blood and clots of rotting flesh, in triumph before twirling away to continue his dance of destruction.

Ryoga stared after him for a second before tightening his grip on his umbrella and resuming his attack on the zombies, this time choosing his blows to crush their skulls like rotten fruit. Having overheard Ranma's declaration themselves, the Slayers quickly overcame their opponents. The last few zombies that had been subjected to Lina's Fireballs crumbled to ash and collapsed as Ranma wrenched the head of the very last zombie and absent-mindedly hurled it into the wall, where it splashed a great stain of crimson upon the stone.

"Is that all of them?"

Ranma actually sounded disappointed that no foes remained to fight. Ryoga and the Slayers simply stared at him.

"Isn't that enough? Where the heck did you learn to fight like that anyway?"

Asked Gourry.

"Cannibal Zombies are a fairly common breed of monster in the land we come from. There's actually a sport that revolves around them; Zombie Pit-Fighting. It's a simple enough game; you enter an arena and waves of zombies come after you. The goal is to kill as many as you can in as inventive a way as possible. I'm actually something of a celebrity in the Pit-Fighting circuit; people pay good money to see a fight I'm taking part in. Perhaps because they've never seen someone do so much damage with only their bare-hands before… Anyway, I find that it's good training for strength, striking speed and reflexes."

"How so?"

"It builds strength because you need to hit them hard to put them down, it builds striking speed because you have to put them down fast, as there are lots of them coming, and it builds reflexes because, well, you really don't want them to bite you. Take it from me, those things bite worse than rabid dogs, and getting them to let go is pure hell-on-an-icicle. Last time it happened, I had to prise the thing's jaws loose with a crowbar."

One could practically see a thought bubble containing that image forming above the heads of everyone present bar Ranma, who simply walked around to the back of the throne. Lina kept quiet for all of a few seconds before her curiosity got the better of her.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for a switch or a lever or some kind of triggering mechanism; that Mazoku-thing disappeared after doing something here."

"How do you know he didn't just plant a bomb or something?"

Asked Gourry, prompting confused blinks from the other Slayers- two good questions in one day? Wasn't that some sort of new record for Gourry? Ranma replied from his position behind the throne.

"Because there's no sign of anything resembling a bomb- or anything abnormal, for that matter."

"One question; seeing as you're the kind of guy who, as a pastime, likes to sit stark-naked on a mountaintop in the middle of a blizzard and watch packs of 30ft-long octopi fly through the air, how the hell would you know what normal even is?"

Ryoga muttered to himself. A rather bad move as it would turn out.

FZZRAK!

Thump.

"I heard that Ryoga. And I think I found what I was looking for…"

There was a 'click' and the throne slid forward, revealing a set of stone stairs leading down into the darkness below. Ranma turned to Lina and made a gesture towards the steps.

"Will you lead or shall I?"

Lina looked at the steps for a moment, then back at Ranma's blank expression. Then, her pride rising within her, she cast the Lighting spell and strode down into the darkness, the others following behind her. After walking down what felt like way too many steps, they finally emerged in a massive underground cavern.

"Wow, I didn't even know there was a cave under the castle of Delasoa."

Amelia said to herself. She cringed as Valmont's hideous laughter suddenly echoed through the room, the Mazoku himself appearing from the darkness beyond Lina's Lighting spell. He grinned and pulled a victory sign before laughing again.

"So, you managed to survive my minions. Very impressive. But you're too late! I have what I was sent here for, and now you will fall to me, Dragon Nester!"

The Slayers cringed away in fear as the Mazoku used the one nickname that you should never, ever use in Lina's hearing. Ranma and Ryoga were confused, staring back and forth between the furious Lina, the terrified Slayers and the grinning Valmont. Finally, Ranma spoke up.

"Dragon Nester?"

"Oh yes. You see, Ms. Inverse has many nicknames, none of them particularly flattering. That one comes with a poem; it goes something like … 'little girl with small breasts, scares dragons from their nests.' Pretty clever, don't you think?"

Ryoga almost laughed. Almost. The brilliant Rage Aura that suddenly flared into life around Lina made him still his tongue, though he was still outmatched by Ranma, who had kept an icy expression all along. Lina was too furious to notice Ryoga's slip; all of her rage was focussed on the smirking Mazoku in front of her. Concerns that she might crush herself under tons of rock evaporated; all that mattered to her was putting an end to that Mazoku!

"Dragon Slave!"

The massive bolt of incandescent crimson energy surged from her hands to impact upon the Mazoku's chest. However, rather than exploding and annihilating her victim the energy just simply… fizzled out. The Slayers, to put it lightly, were surprised.

"WHAT? How the hell!"

Lina started to prepare another spell when Ranma suddenly put his hand on her shoulder.

"Wait. Let me try; I have a theory. Frost Maiden!"

He held out his right arm to the side and, with the deep creaking sounds of water vapour being frozen, a thick cluster of jagged ice spears formed, floating in mid-air beside him. He swept his arm toward Valmont and the spears shot forward, though they too failed to impact. Instead, they suddenly began spiralling around him before disappearing. Ranma smirked.

"Thought so. Now how the heck did something like you get your hands on a Nullstone?"

"Nullstone?"

Everyone else asked, Valmont with something that almost sounded like fear, Ryoga and the Slayers with curiosity. Ranma didn't bother to turn, instead keeping his gaze focussed on Valmont as he spoke.

"Nullstones are amongst the rarest and most valuable of all magical minerals. Resembling black diamonds, Nullstones have the power to absorb magical energy, thus rendering whoever holds one impervious to spells, though they cannot cast spells themselves. That means that the only way to fight him is with weapons, and Nullstones also render magical weapons nonmagical whilst they are within their presence."

"Yes. And that means that none of you can harm me. Whilst I… am not so limited."

Valmont grinned, then suddenly began to twitch and grimace as though throwing some kind of fit. Grotesque cracking, squelching sounds filled the air and the humans watched in disgust as Valmont face suddenly split in half down the middle, revealing a vile maw filled with jagged fangs. Valmont's fingers grew into long, cruel talons whilst four foul lumps bulged from his back, spewing geysers of ichor and pus as they burst to reveal four long, bladed limbs. Finally, Valmont's torso separated from his waist and rose into the air, the two sections connected by something that resembled the body of a massive centipede.

"Behold! My true form! Prepare yourselves to die!"

Ryoga and the Slayers tensed, whilst Ranma slowly and deliberately popped his neck and knuckles. His expression was completely blank as he spoke.

"At last… a real challenge…"

As the other humans blinked at that, Ranma suddenly shot forward, easily matching the speed of the Mazoku hurtling towards him. They struck at the same time with equal speed and force, blocking each other's attack. Ryoga and the Slayers could only watch as the two traded blows with inhuman speed, Ranma somehow managing to match his opponent despite the fact Valmont had three times the arms Ranma did. It was Valmont who drew first blood, one his blade-limbs inflicting a long but shallow cut on Ranma's face, beginning from right next to his nose and ending under an ear. Ranma gave no sign that he even felt the cut, instead delivering a powerful punch to Valmont's throat.

Though not as effective as it would have been against a human opponent, such an attack still distracted Valmont long enough for Ranma to leap out of the range of those slicing limbs so he could formulate a strategy. The two main advantages Valmont had over Ranma was that he could deploy two more limbs than Ranma in combat and also that connecting spine-thing allowed him to move his upper torso more freely, helping him to evade Ranma's attacks. The evidence collated, Ranma's mind instantly processed a set of tactics for him; sever the spine and Valmont would be much easier to handle.

With that knowledge writhing inside his brain, Ranma leapt back into the attack, delivering a volley of solid blows to Valmont's centipede-like spine. Valmont hissed, a sound that conveyed more rage than pain, and retaliated, though Ranma's dodging meant that all Valmont achieved was to slice gashes in Ranma's shirt. The two traded blows with seemingly greater ferocity than before until, finally, Valmont managed to breach Ranma's defences.

One of his lower limbs arced upwards, impaling Ranma through the gut, prompting outcries from the spectators and a hiss of triumph from Valmont. To his horror however, Ranma didn't even seem to feel the pain, instead using the opening provided to deliver a powerful spin-kick that smashed through Valmont's spine. His legs toppled to the ground, spewing a yellowish ichor, as Valmont himself tried to grapple Ranma. Ranma instinctively punched Valmont in the face with his right hand, only to have the Mazoku bite his hand off with its vertical jaws before Ranma delivered a left-handed Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken that sent Valmont flying across the cavern.

Instinctively, the others started forward, only for Ranma to ward them off with the gushing stump of his wrist.

"No! This is my battle."

"Don't be stupid, you can't fight in that sort of condition!"

Said Ryoga. Ranma said nothing, but tendrils of bluish-green energy suddenly surged into life across his body, winding around his wounds and enveloping him in a brilliant glow. When the light faded, Ranma's wounds were all healed, even the hole in his stomach, and his missing hand had been replaced. The spectators stared as Ranma coolly spoke only two words before returning his attention to the fight.

"What condition?"

Across the floor, Valmont righted himself, using his arms and lower limbs as makeshift legs, and hissed at Ranma, a long black tongue slithering out from between his vertical jaws. He waited for Ranma to get closer, then launched himself straight for the martial artist's throat. Forced to use his rear limbs to support himself now he and Ranma were more evenly matched. Soon the battle began to turn in Ranma's favour; he landed more and more of his own attacks and received fewer in return. Valmont's own attacks became fewer and feebler as Ranma's onslaught continued, the Mazoku hissing its hate and rage as it began trying to evade Ranma's relentless and merciless attentions.

The physical form of a Mazoku is created by an expenditure of their own life-energies, thus damaging the body causes the Mazoku to automatically and involuntarily drain energy from its true "Astral" form to repair the damage. Killing a Mazoku involves destroying this Astral form, and devoid of spells that attack the Astral form the only way to do this is to inflict such massive damage upon its physical form that it literally bleeds itself dry trying to repair the damage. Ranma's goal in this battle, quite simply, was to achieve this by literally tearing Valmont's physical form to pieces.

It was a goal he was well on the way to achieving. Glutinous ichor, a physical manifestation of the energy draining from the Mazoku's Astral form, steadily flowed from the ragged stump of Valmont's spine, the spindly legs growing from its length clicking spasmodically on the floor. Valmont's cries and struggles were growing weaker as Ranma rained a hail of blows down upon him, crushing the segments of his spine, smashing fangs loose and pulping flesh into a squamous mass. Ranma pinned one of Valmont's arms under his foot, then snapped it in a single vicious wrench. Valmont weakly lashed out with one of his limbs to try and impale or eviscerate the martial artist, but Ranma dodged the blow, seized the limb and tore it from its socket.

Finally, the Mazoku ceased moving altogether. Ranma gave it a few more punches for good measure, then plunged his hand into the near-protoplasmic mass. Finally finding the Nullstone, a massive specimen about the size of a human heart, he stood up from the mess and turned towards the others, a weary grin on his filth-stained features.

"First real martial arts challenge I've had in a while. Still, it was worth it; who knows what could happen if this fell into the wrong hands?"

"What about the right ones?"

The unfamiliar sepulchral voice echoed from behind Ranma; he spun around only to receive a massive backhand that sent him flying into a cavern wall with bone-breaking force, the back of his skull cracking audibly. The figure that had backhanded him had also managed to seize the Nullstone, which glinted at the edge of Lina's Lighting spell. Instinctively, Lina hurled a Fireball at the culprit, the sphere of flames illuminating that there was not one culprit but three, all of them Mazoku, judging by the abnormality of their forms. In the after-flash as the Fireball was absorbed, the trio disappeared as Gourry and Ryoga charged towards them.

"Forget it. They're long gone by now. Let's get Ranma out of here; that sounded like a pretty nasty blow."

Nodding his agreement, Ryoga walked over and hoisted the unconscious Ranma over his shoulder, following Lina as she led the group out of the cavern.

"Some Grandmaster."

He grumbled, prompting Gourry, who was walking behind him, to whack Ryoga on the head with the hilt of his sword.

"Show some respect; the guy took on a Mazoku with his bare-hands and won. I've never even heard of anyone trying to do something like that."

Several hours later, in a room rented in a nearby inn, Ranma was still to come round. Ryoga paced uneasily back and forth as Lina, Gourry and Amelia ate a light snack. By their standards anyway.

"How can you eat like that? Even Ranma has better manners than that, and his father used to make him fight for every mouthful of food he got!"

Any (muffled) replies Ryoga might have received never happened, for it was at that moment Ranma choose to groan and slowly raise himself into a sitting position.

"Ohh… My head. Where am I?"

"You're in the Dancing Dog Inn, in Delasoa. We brought you here after those Mazoku got the jump on you."

Ranma turned to Ryoga with a puzzled look.

"Do I… know you?"

Ryoga laughed lightly.

"Oh come on Ranma, it's me, Ryoga."

"Ranma? Is that my name? Is that who I am?"

Ryoga's laughter trailed off suddenly as he slowly looked into the blank, faintly puzzled eyes of Ranma.

Xellos had, on a whim, decided to stop and grab a cup of tea from a café in Delasoa. He was just paying the waitress when he heard what sounded like someone shouting.

"**Shi-shi Hokodan!**"

And that was when the massive beam of sickly green energy blazed into the sky, practically destroying the building it was originating from. Xellos tracked the beam with one eye actually half-opened; if he had been a lesser Mazoku, he would have started to drool. Pure unadulterated despair, refined and focused to such a degree, and in such quantities! To a Mazoku, it was like seeing a massive geyser of the finest gourmet chocolate suddenly spouting in their backyard. He instantly teleported to where the beam had come from; it looked like he'd finally found those he was looking for.

In the now wrecked hotel room, Ranma looked at Ryoga, now faintly shimmering with green flames, with a politely curious and slightly puzzled look whilst the Slayers extracted themselves from the wreckage. Ryoga ignored them all.

"No! I can't be stuck here forever, I simply can't be! I have a life! I have a family! I never even got the chance to tell Akane how I feel about her!"

"What is he going on about?"

Ranma asked Lina, who shrugged her confusion. Amelia spoke up.

"He has an absolutely lousy sense of direction; he can't even find his way around his own house without getting lost. But why do you say you'll be stuck here forever? Can't you give someone else a map and have them take you?"

Ryoga froze at Amelia's questions; Ranma had given him a very detailed description of precisely what would happen if Ryoga revealed that he and Ranma were from a different dimension. He quickly thought up a lie to save himself from a fate involving ice cubes, Akane's mallet and assorted puckered body cavities (don't ask and don't go there- you really don't want to know).

"I can't because… because… the lands we come from are shrouded by ancient and extremely powerful magical barriers. You can't even find the lands unless you know the counterspells, and Ranma is the only one of us who knows how to use magic. If he doesn't regain his memories, we'll be stuck here forever!"

"My, my, what an interesting tale."

"Gah!"

Ryoga jumped as Xellos suddenly teleported into the room, prompting angry gazes from Lina and Zelgadis (Amelia was too nice, Ranma didn't know Xellos even when he had his memories, and Gourry was… well, Gourry). He ignored them to instead walk over to Ranma, who simply looked at him curiously.

"Hi, do I know you?"

"No, I shouldn't think so. I am Xellos, the Mysterious Priest."

"Xellos the Fruitcake is more like it."

Muttered Zelgadis. Xellos and Ranma ignored him.

"I'm told my name is Ranma. How did you teleport like that?"

"I'm afraid that is a secret. But tell me something-"

Xellos' question was cut off as Lina grabbed him in a headlock.

"Oh no you don't! Every time you show up, we get dragged off on another quest. So what is it this time you Mazoku pain in the ass? Speaking of Mazoku, care to explain what the hell that lot were doing here earlier?"

"Please Lina, I honestly don't know what you're talking about. What Mazoku?"

"Don't play dumb with me! You know the ones, those four who invaded the castle here and butchered everyone inside looking for that Nullstone thing!"

"I can honestly assure you I know nothing about that! My mission- well, my mission is a secret, but I knew nothing about any Mazoku assigned to this area. And I've never even heard of something called a Nullstone."

"And why should I believe you?"

"Please Lina, I am the Trickster Priest, but I don't lie. I misdirect and leave things out of the story, true, but I never tell lies."

Grudgingly conceding, at least to herself, that that was the truth, Lina released him. Xellos made a show of smoothing down his rumpled suit before continuing.

"However, I have heard that a number of 'rogue' Mazoku have been literally appearing out of nowhere in the past couple of months. The ones who stole that Nullstone thing must have been part of their number."

"And I suppose you know absolutely nothing about where they went or what they're planning to do with that Nullstone?"

"As much as it shames me to admit it, yes. However, seeing as how I have no pressing prior engagements, I will be quite happy to accompany you on this quest."

"What quest? I don't remember saying anything about a quest!"

"Didn't you yourself say that nobody knows what they plan to do? Surely they must be stopped, if only to avenge your defeat."

Seeing Lina's eyes fill with anger and suspicion, Xellos quickly, though calmly, gestured towards Ranma.

"Surely they must have won, giving how you yourself said that they stole the Nullstone and logic dictates they must have been the ones who stole this boy's memories."

Lina was silent for a few moments as she mentally weighed everything Xellos had said and everything she knew in her mind. Then, slowly, she nodded her head.

"I'm probably going to regret this but… you're right. We have to go after them."

"That's right Ms. Lina! Justice demands that those monsters be found and punished for their crimes!"

"Yeah, that too. But I'm thinking that that Nullstone thing would probably fetch a kingdom's ransom if we sold it!"

Ignoring the stunned look on Amelia's face, Xellos clapped his hands once and smiled (well, smiled more than usual).

"It's settled then. Let's be off."

"Hold it! We're not going anywhere until we get a decent night's sleep!"

"Yeah. But we'll have to find a new inn; there's no roof here."

Everyone in the group stared at Gourry for that logical, if stupid, statement before they began to gather up their things to find a new room for the night.

_**Squeaks, digs himself a grave and buries himself**_

_Don't kill me for this! I'd like to explain this, really I would, but the honest truth is that I have no idea where this came from! Please don't flame me too hard, okay?_

_Before anyone asks; Ranma knows the Extradimensional Warp because, well, he beat Happosai for the rights to all of his gear, including the Secret Technique Scrolls, and he did have 3 weeks in Dalara Peaks to study them, so he's bound to have picked up a few tricks. _

_The "Ranma the Zombie Pit-Fighter" thing is from an unwritten side-story, dating from the time when Ranma was stuck in Otherworld. I first meant to mention it in –I think it was Chapter 12?- but I couldn't think of how to do it, so it got posted here._

_The fight with Valmont, well, one reviewer complained that Ranma wasn't really much of a martial artist anymore. The "no pain" thing was because it's kind of the way I'd imagine Elementalists fight; no emotions of any sort whatsoever._

_Well, I've made my excuses and dug my grave. I'm ready for your replies._


	18. Chapter 18

S .5 Part Eighteen 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** okay, so you didn't really mind the chapter, but you disliked the fact Ranma lost his memories? I can live with that, I don't know why I had him lose them in the first place- I think it was for a drama scene for the last chapter of this "arc". Never mind; if there's no point to it, I'll get rid of it in this chapter.

Also, to those who asked; the Mazoku surprised him because they teleported in right after Valmont died. I have a reason for their existence, and for them stealing the Nullstone, but that won't be revealed for a while yet.

Part 17: The Poison Flower Gang

"Ranma! Come down from there!"

"No way! Not so long as that c-c-c-thing is down there!"

"My, my, what a delicious duo of depression and fear. If only Filia was here, it would be a perfect three-course meal."

"You are NOT helping Xellos!"

"Miss Lina is right! That was most unjust of you Mr. Xellos!"

"Why is it my fault? Ryoga's the one who suggested I show Ranma the cat."

"Will you shut up and just take that stupid moggy back where you got it so Ranma will come back down?"

Ryoga roared; his patience finally exhausted. Xellos said nothing, but simply cradled the innocent kitten that had started all of this and then teleported away, at which Ranma visibly relaxed. Ryoga stared up at Ranma until he felt Lina and Amelia's eyes upon him.

"What?"

"And exactly what were you thinking telling Xellos about Ranma's Nekoken training? That's betrayal of the trust Ranma places in you, and that goes against the code of Justice!"

"I didn't tell him anything about the Nekoken, all I suggested was that he show Ranma a cat so we could tell if he had truly forgotten everything or if he was just faking it."

"Hey, how the hell did I get up here? More importantly, how the hell do I get down? Someone get me down from here!"

The group turned towards him as Ranma suddenly came to his senses and looked up at the treetop where he was perched. Ryoga sighed and took off his belt. As the Slayers watched he made a flicking motion with his wrist, whereupon the belt suddenly became a rigid bar. With a single deliberate stroke he brought it through the tree's trunk, and their ears with filled with creaking as the tree, with deceptive slowness, toppled backwards. Ranma looked panic-stricken for a second as he fell backwards, before he launched himself into the air, making a rather clumsy landing on all fours. Ryoga, his belt reattached around his waist, sighed as Ranma wiped himself off.

"Great. Without your memories you're virtually helpless. We have got to get your memories back."

"No kidding brainiac. But how? It's not like I can just buy them from a store."

Ranma muttered. It was just then that Xellos reappeared on the scene, startling Ryoga but having no effect on Ranma or the Slayers (the latter being used to it, no one knew what Ranma's excuse was).

"Well now, maybe I can help you there…"

Xellos didn't have the chance to speak any further as Ryoga suddenly grabbed him by the front of his shirt, pulling his face to meet his own.

"How? Tell me!"

Not all flustered or disconcerted by the strength Ryoga was exerting on him, Xellos continued smiling as he replied in his usual calm manner.

"Not too far from here is a magical cavern, called the Cave of Lost Dreams. For centuries it has been used as place for healing those whose minds or spirits have been damaged, either by magic or simply by stress. Amnesia is easily curable there."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"HOLD IT!"

Lina's shout stopped Ryoga dead in his tracks; he had Ranma slung over one shoulder and was on the verge of disappearing into the horizon. He turned and blinked as Lina confronted Xellos.

"All right; spill it: how 'not far' is this Cave of Lost Dreams? 'Not far' in terms of a walking human or 'not far' in terms of a teleporting Mazoku? And what haven't you told us about the place? I'm sick of walking into traps because of you!"

Xellos smiled and made placatory gestures with his hands.

"It's not far from the viewpoint of a walking human, and as to what I left out… well, there's a notorious bandit gang that's settled near the cavern, no one's been able to drive them away so far."

Ryoga snorted dismissively.

"Bandits? Even I can take care of a few crummy bandits. Which way is it to the cave?"

"That way."

Xellos said, pointing to the northeast. Ryoga nodded, and then began heading southwest. Xellos blinked, in that way he did without actually opening his eyes, then stuck his thumb and forefinger in his mouth and whistled loudly. Ryoga turned back to him, Ranma taking advantage of this momentary distraction to squirm free of Ryoga's grip.

"What?"

"I said it's northeast, you're going the wrong way."

"Oh."

With that, Ryoga promptly spun around to the west and resumed walking. Had he been human, Xellos would have stared at him in disbelief, just like the Slayers, even Amelia, who had been told about Ryoga's sense of direction, were doing. Instead, he teleported behind Ryoga and struck him over the head with his staff. The Eternally Lost Boy glared at the Trickster Priest Mazoku.

"What was that for?"

"Are you really that clueless when it comes to finding your way? Or just plain stupid? I told you that the Cave of Lost Dreams lies-"

"Northeast, right? I'll see ya there."

Ryoga and the Slayers blinked and looked to the northeast, where Ranma was steadily disappearing. Ryoga stared after him stupidly for a few seconds before his face twisted into an expression of anger.

"Wait up Ranma! Get back here!"

Ryoga charged off after Ranma; although slower than Ranma he was still faster than any of the Slayers bar Zelgadis, which meant that it took a hasty casting of Raywing to enable them to catch up. In the confusion they "accidentally" left Xellos behind, though it didn't matter much, as he simply teleported away once they'd all left the scene. Ryoga had easily caught up to Ranma, but the amnesiac martial artist had simply grinned at Ryoga and then sped up even further. Eventually the two were going flat out, with Ranma some thirty feet or so in front of Ryoga and the Slayers bringing up the rear on their Raywings. That was all right, until a very thick-looking forest appeared on the horizon.

"Whoa, slow down! Do you know what will happen if you hit something at that speed?"

If either of the martial artists heard Amelia's warning, they gave no sign of it. Unseen by anyone, Ranma's eyes glazed over as instincts engraved into his very bones by a lifetime of training resurged and took control. He shot towards the closest tree and Amelia averted her eyes, positive he was about to crush the life from himself. Instead he literally spiralled up the tree as a blur, dashing out onto a thin branch and launching himself into the next tree. As the Slayers watched he proceeded to leap and bound from tree to tree in a stunning display of acrobatics and speed, moving through the air and branches as though he had born to do so.

Ryoga's path, while far less graceful, was still impressive in its own way. Ryoga followed Ranma without swerving in the slightest, ploughing straight through any and every obstacle in his path. Trees toppled and fell every which away; bushes and shrubs were torn from the ground, as Ryoga barrelled onwards like a living engine of destruction. When one particularly tall and broad tree emerged in his path, Ryoga simply jumped slightly, every part of the tree above its stump exploding in a shower of debris as Ryoga smashed through it like it wasn't even there. Whilst Ranma leapt from the top of a massive boulder, Ryoga simply charged straight into it, not even bothering to use his Bakusai Tenketsu as it disintegrated into rubble.

Tangles of thorns and vines that ensnared Ryoga didn't even slow him down for a heartbeat, all that mattered to him was following Ranma. Eventually the forest grew less thick and mountains loomed in the distance. Ranma landed on the roof of an old hut and leapt to the ground, whilst Ryoga smashed in through one wall and straight out the other. Ranma suddenly stopped, simply ceasing to be moving in one action. Ryoga, unable to halt so quickly, ended up skidding across the ground towards Ranma who, without even looking back at him, suddenly hopped some thirty feet straight up, allowing Ryoga to zoom under him. As the Slayers landed behind him, Ranma's eyes cleared.

"W-what… what happened? How did I get here? I was running towards a forest and then I sort of blacked out…"

The Slayers looked confused for several seconds, until the mud-drenched Ryoga snapped his fingers.

"I get it; it must have been instinct, that or a memory relapse. Anyway, precisely how are we going to find that cave anyway?"

"Oh, that's not a problem."

Xellos teleported onto the scene once more. Apparently Ryoga was getting used to it, as he didn't jump this time. Xellos, as usual, ignored the assorted death glares and exasperated gazes he received and pointed to a particular outcropping of rock at the base of the mountain.

"The Cave of Lost Dreams is located there. You simply need to lie down upon the crystal table within, and the magic of the place puts you into a sort of trance whilst it repairs the damage of your mind."

Ranma said nothing; he simply nodded politely and walked towards the spot where Xellos had said the cave was located, Ryoga following behind. The Slayers looked amongst themselves for a second, turned to Xellos, found he had disappeared, then shrugged and followed Ryoga. When they finally caught up, Ryoga was sitting cross-legged on the ground outside the cave, his umbrella draped across his legs like a sword. When they tried to enter though, Ryoga moved to cut them off.

"What's your problem?"

"Ranma and I decided that only he should enter the cave. Who knows what the healing process could involve, there's every possibility that the presence of others could interfere with the process. Besides which, he needs us to keep a lookout for that bandit gang that Xellos said was here."

"Please, that fruitcake never tells the whole truth about anything that might help us. I sincerely doubt that there are any bandits here."

Scoffed Zelgadis. And that was when an arrow came whistling past his ear. Ryoga blocked it with his umbrella, but instead of piercing it exploded into a thick cloud of choking green fumes. Ryoga and the Slayers began choking and coughing as more and more of the arrows came whistling into their ranks, each one embedding into the earth and emitting a cloud of vapours. After a matter of moments first one then more of the group passed out, with Zelgadis the very last to fall to the ground unconscious. The shooters, about a dozen men wearing basic bandit gear and strange helmets with windowed eye-slits and grill-like mouthpieces, emerged from the bushes, laughing as they walked over to the unconscious group.

"Hehe, man, the boss's knockout-gas arrows really work a treat, don't they? So let's see what we've caught this time."

"Hey, I recognize this chick; do you know who we've got here?"

The other bandits shook their heads.

"This is none other than Lina Inverse, the Bandit Killer herself, and this is her sidekick Gourry Gabriev. I recognize them because they wiped out my last gang."

"So let's cut their throats and be done with it."

"Wait stupid! Think about it; if word gets out that we actually managed to capture Lina Inverse, then our gang will become the most famous ever! We could really go up in the world if we bring her to the boss!"

"Yeah! The Poison Flower Gang would be the most respected and feared bandit gang ever! Let's take 'em!"

"Tie her hands, give her a dose of that sleeping potion and gag her; we don't need her waking up and slinging spells everywhere. Heck, tie up and gag 'em all."

From just off the scene, Xellos watched as the bandits worked quickly and professionally to drug, bind and carry away the group. He thought about intervening for a few seconds, then dismissed the idea. The Slayers were unlikely to be taken down by a mere band of humans after all they'd been through, and besides which he still had a mission to complete. In a way, the bandits had done him a favour; now he could sneak into the Cave of Lost Dreams with ease, and he proceeded to do so.

Inside the cavern, crystals sprouted everywhere. It was quite decorative, in a way, but Xellos wasn't here to check out the decor. In a chamber in the depths of the cavern, Ranma rested upon a crystalline table, engulfed in the gentle glow of healing magics. It was here Xellos planned to finally learn something more of this stranger, for, as part of the healing process, the memories of the subject appeared inside the myriad crystals surrounding the table. He approached one and looked into its depths.

Within, he saw a younger Ranma, garbed in some sort of white robe. He had evidentially missed the early days of Ranma's life, but that was of little concern. The Ranma within was at a region of numerous springs, tall wooden poles jutting seemingly at random from within them. The young Ranma turned and said something to a man dressed in identical garb, although Xellos couldn't hear anything, due to the fact there was no sound. The man was evidentially Ranma's father, given the physical similarities that he bore, though his frame had been thickened by sloth and indulgence. He leapt upward to land upon a pole, Ranma following him.

As Xellos watched, the two sparred for about a minute, while a podgy little man on the ground shouted something up at the pair of them. The fight ended when Ranma succeeded in knocking his father from his pole to land in one of the springs below. Ranma smirked and called something down to him, only to react in shock when some sort of black-and-white furred, vaguely bear-like creature erupted from the water. As Xellos watched in amusement, Ranma himself took a plunge into the waters, emerging as a woman who looked almost exactly like Lina with Amelia's bust-size.

Unfortunately for Xellos, the imagery within the crystals began to waver and "skip" from one scene to another, Ranma's psyche was apparently responding to the treatments, which meant that fewer memory scenes would be "played" on the crystals. Still, Xellos saw enough to get some idea of what Ranma's home life was like. He also saw enough to deduce that there was no way that Ranma could ever have come from anywhere on this world; the scenes showed absolutely no spellcasters and technology that was beyond even his comprehension. Finally, Xellos hit what could best be described as "pay dirt".

The scenes being played out now showed Ranma's journey to Otherworld, although Xellos had no way of knowing that, his magic tutelage, his return to Nerima and, finally, his transportation to the Slayers world with Ryoga. Unfortunately for Xellos he stayed to watch the memory scenes for too long, which had the result that Ranma was able to hit him with a Freeze spell the instant he awoke.

"So. It seems you have discovered my secret. Xellos, isn't it? Now what should I do with you?"

Xellos' grin never wavered in the slightest as, with minimal effort, he broke free of the ice.

"Oh, come now Ranma. I had a mission to complete, that's all. I assure you, you are in no danger from me knowing."

"If that's the case, then why didn't you just ask me?"

"And risk being deceived? Oh no, I'm too much of an old-hand at this to take risks like that."

The two stared blankly at each other for several seconds, neither of them revealing anything until finally Ranma broke the silence.

"So, where are Lina and the rest?"

"Kidnapped by a bunch of bandits, they called themselves the Poison Flower Gang."

"Let me get this straight; a bunch of bandits managed to kidnap Ryoga, Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis and Amelia, and you did nothing to help them? What's the deal?"

"It's not like they can't handle themselves, besides which this was the perfect opportunity to complete my mission, as I doubt I could have gotten past Ryoga without at least knocking him unconscious first."

"That's right; Ryoga might not be the sharpest knife in the harness, but he does have his honour. It's a pretty screwed up sort of honour, but beggars can't be choosers I suppose. Still, I suppose I'd better go help them. Are you coming?"

"Sorry, as much as I'd love to waste my energy on some pitiful humans, I have to report back to my master."

"Figured as much. Can you at least tell me where they are?"

_Bandit's Camp_

In the depths of the lair of the Poison Flower Bandit Gang, Lina Inverse fought down an urge to snicker at their ridiculous name as she half-paid attention to the speech of their leader, a surprisingly good-looking guy who called himself "Lord Belladonis". Normally, by now was the point where she would have busted loose and, with the aid of her friends, turned the place into a pit of ruin. However, this wasn't happening for several various reasons.

Firstly, she was still somewhat groggy from both the knockout gas and whatever drugs they'd slipped down her throat prior to bringing her here. This probably tied into her second reason; all the garbage Belladonis was spouting was actually making sense! She was actually interested in his offer to join his gang! And she apparently wasn't the only one who was actually considering his propositions.

"So, what do you say? Will you join us in our mission of conquest?"

He looked into Lina's eyes, his own vivid blue orbs seeming to glow with an inner light. How could she refuse his request? How could she deny his wishes? She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a sudden and literal explosion of noise from outside, a vaguely scream-like projection of sound focused into a beam of destructive sonic force that smashed the door at the far end of the chamber (as well as the wall it was set in) into fragments and hurled roughly half a dozen bandits to the floor. Lina shook her head like a dog with water in its ears, her thoughts clearing and her mind returning to normal.

"Not a chance!"

She struggled furiously with her bonds, an eye turning towards the disturbance to find out who precisely had restored her senses. She blinked to see that it was Ranma, currently taking on the entire gang barehanded as though it was the easiest thing in the world to do. Then again, seeing as how the unfamiliar spells he was tossing around were decimating the gang's ranks, maybe it was for him. Within seconds, he was standing by the tied-up group, those bandits who hadn't fled and were still conscious forming a wary circle around them. Ranma didn't even pay them the least attention, focussing his gaze directly upon Belladonis.

"And who might you be?"

"I am Lord Belladonis, leader of the Poison Flower Gang. Why have you attacked us? Surely there is no need to fight?"

His voice sounded so soft, so reasonable, so agreeable that Ryoga and the Slayers, even Zelgadis, found themselves nodding in agreement. Ranma simply shook his head once, quickly, and then fixed Belladonis with a stern gaze.

"I'm not so wet behind the ears I'll fall to the charms of some second-rate Ermordenung! So how did you get out here anyway? I thought your kind abhorred the wilds. Did your own brew-mates get tired of you? Or were you too incompetent to blend in?"

Belladonis' appearance of calm and decorum vanished in a split-second, he hissed like a viper, his canines elongating and his fingers curving into twisting claws, something that startled his followers as much as it did the Slayers. Lina partially turned her face towards Ranma; ensuring one eye remained on Belladonis, as she continued trying to free herself.

"What's an Ermordenung?"

Ranma didn't bother to look at her as he replied; his attention was still firmly fixed on Belladonis.

"An Ermordenung is a creature created by dark alchemical rituals, designed to be the ultimate assassin. In appearance they uniformly appear as gorgeous men and women, but that attractive exterior conceals their venomous soul. Ermordenungs are infused to the very core of their beings with incredibly potent toxins; the slightest contact with their bare flesh is deadly, their kiss is instant death. Coupled with an innate ability to compel the minds of others, and you can see why they are so effective."

"Not that it matters to you any longer…"

Belladonis slammed his fist down on the handrail of his chair, creating a sound like glass shattering as a massive cloud of putrid-green mists exploded into being all around, rushing in towards the still bound Slayers. At the exact instant, Ranma made a hand-gesture, a gale-force blast of wind gusting out from him to form a whirling vortex around him, Ryoga and the Slayers, keeping the mists at bay until they dissipated about a minute later, revealing that Belladonis was long gone. Lina finally struggled free of her bonds and turned towards Ranma.

"Nice going; you couldn't have prevented him from doing that? Or gone after him?"

"I could have, but that would have left you to share their fate."

He pointed mildly at where Belladonis' gang members had been standing. Lina followed his gesture and grimaced; all of the bandits were now lying on the floor dead, blood flowing sluggishly from their mouths. Ranma shrugged as he sped off, calling over his shoulder.

"Ermordenungs are immune to all forms of poison bar their own touch. Now that he had no further use for them, they were expendable. You free the others, I'm going after him."

Lina's pride wrestled with her common sense for a few seconds but, for once, her common sense won. She quickly freed the others and they set off after him. Apparently Ranma had managed to catch up to him, as they were able to follow them by listening for the sounds of battle. As they got closer, they could make out what the two were saying.

"It's no matter now; my master already has what he sent me to acquire."

"Surrender, tell me where I can find your master, and I will spare your life."

"Never! I would rather die than betray my lord!"

"If that is your wish… Magna Blast!"

The Slayers heard the electrical humming as the unknown spell hurtled from Ranma's hands to engulf the bandit leader. Seconds later they heard Belladonis scoff.

"Pah! You call that an attack? That didn't even tickle!"

"The Magna Blast deals no damage directly. But have you noticed we're in the armoury?"

As the Slayers approached the door, they heard a series of metallic clanking. Belladonis had time to voice a single despairing scream before it was drowned by a massive CRUNCH! They flung open the door to reveal Ranma standing before a mass of armour and weapons. Streamers of hissing greenish fluid were oozing from the pile, which itself was beginning to melt together into a single corroded mass. Ranma's eye flicked in their direction as they stared from the doorway. Without saying a word or expressing any emotion, he turned and began walking towards them.

"There's nothing more we can do here. Come on, let's go."

They had just left the bandit's camp when Lina recognized something.

"STOP! We gotta go back! We forgot the loot!"

"No point going after it; he sent everything to his 'master', whoever that may be. Speaking of which, now where do we go? I personally want to get that Nullstone back –those damn Mazoku made me look like an idiot- but how do we find them."

"I think I might be able to help you on that."

And that was when Xellos made an appearance. Being used to it, no one paid him much attention. Except Ranma, as he expected Xellos to reveal his secret any moment. Sensing Ranma's scrutiny, Xellos half-turned to him, saying, "that's our little secret" with his body language. Reassured, Ranma nodded secretly to him.

"Follow me, and I'll lead you right to them."

"Why would you help us?"

"Are you forgetting that these Mazoku are rogues? They're a threat to our goals and plans. My master has charged me with hunting them down and eliminating them, and our goals happen to coincide in this case. Quite good fortune, yes?"

The Slayers didn't answer that. Without waiting for any confirmations or denials on their behalf, Xellos walked off, Ranma and Ryoga trailing behind him. The Slayers stayed where they were for a minute, and then chased after the trio. When they caught up, Lina turned to Ranma.

"By the way, those are some pretty good spells you have. What would you say to a trade?"

"Trade?"

"If you'll teach me some of those spells of yours, I'll teach you black magic. So? What do you say?"

"I'll… think about it."

Looking somewhat insulted, Lina stalked to the front of the party, at which Ryoga dropped back until he and Ranma were bringing up the rear of the party.

"What gives? You wouldn't hesitate to learn any martial arts technique, so why wouldn't you want to learn her magic?"

"Why? I'll tell you; Amelia and I had a talk about magic when we first met. From what she says, it's extremely doubtful any of the spells native to this world will work outside of this dimension."

"What do you mean?"

"All spells require magical energy –mana- for power. The Elementalism I learned in Otherworld uses magical energy to affect a multiversal presence; the weather. The spells of this dimension work by utilising magical energy in conjunction with either the Astral Plane of this dimension or by drawing upon the energies of certain powerful entities. This means that if the entity being drawn upon is slain, that spell is no longer usable. Outside this dimension, magic-users such as Lina would most likely be cut off from the sources of their spells, which means their spells would not work. The White and Shamanism spells might, but Black and Holy simply will not function. And what's the point of learning something that's only usable here?"

Ryoga nodded in agreement as Ranma walked off to speak to Xellos.

_Okay, Ranma's memory is back. I personally think this chapter stinks, but I think that about every chapter. Now, I have an idea for something to happen during the last of this "arc", but I thought I'd run it by you first and see if it's any good. Essentially, after Ranma, Ryoga and the Slayers beat "the master", they encounter a very strange someone; a Ranma from a parallel universe, one where he chose Charnel instead of Stratos. This "Necro-Ranma" happens to be in contact with the other Parallel Mage-Ranmas (Mystic-Ranma, Geo-Ranma and Sorc-Ranma) and asks this story's Ranma if he wants to attend a "get-together" of Mage-Ranmas. Should I use this idea or not? If so, I have a few questions:_

_Should this happen during or after the "Slayers in Nerima" storyline?_

_Should it take place in Necro-Ranma's castle, or Element-Ranma's Nerima?_

_Finally, who should the Parallel Ranmas be paired with in their dimension? I have Nabiki & Shampoo for Necro-Ranma, and Kasumi for Mystic-Ranma, but what about Geo-Ranma and Sorc-Ranma?_

_On a final note; 10 virtual bonus points to anyone who can tell me either which two names I merged to name the bandit leader or who can tell me where the name for his species came from (here's a hint; it's a Gothic Horror campaign setting for a certain famous RPG). 50 virtual points if you can get them both._


	19. Chapter 19

S .5 Part Nineteen 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** Okay, the very first reviewer to figure out the references was Necrovore, who got both questions correct. In other news, quite a few people liked the idea of a parallel-Ranma get-together, so I'll use it. I've got two votes to have in Necro-Ranma's castle (as well as one request I do a few chapters focussing on Necro-Ranma first- if people want that I'll do it, otherwise no), one for Nerima and a suggestion from Xtor49 to do it in Mystic-Ranma's world (to quote him; "If you can't trust a Ranma who serves Righteousness and Justice to keep his word, who can you trust?"). But I'll need a few more votes before I decide; Necro-Ranma will show up two chapters after this one, so please review.

Part 18: Showdown in the Boneyard!

The thick, almost black clouds above and the dull booming of thunder heralded the birth of a storm. Ryoga took one long look at the sky, twitched as a streak of lightning flashed overhead, and then turned to Ranma.

"Alright Ranma, cut it out!"

"Cut what out P-Chan?"

The Slayers turned to watch as Ranma and Ryoga began to argue.

"You know perfectly well what! Call off the rainstorm!"

"It's a natural phenomenon! Nothing to do with me!"

"And exactly why are you blaming him anyway? Nobody can control the weather."

"Actually, I can control the weather, but that's besides the point. The point is that I'm sick and tired of him blaming me every time something goes wrong. I'm not the harbinger of apocalypse, I'm just an ordinary guy!"

Whether it was sheer coincidence or something else, it was at that exact moment Ranma was struck by lightning. The moment he finished harmlessly absorbing the electrical energy, he glared at his travelling companions.

"Nobody say a word."

Neither trusting themselves to speak nor liking the look on Ranma's face, they remained silent as he stalked off ahead, still wafting a faint smell of ozone. The storm was growing more ominous, a fact that, coupled with the late time of day, prompted the group to seek shelter for the night.

"Hey, there's a place to spend the night."

Gourry called. His 'shelter' turned out to be a very run-down, ramshackle and poor-looking inn. Ranma took one look at it and then spun on his heel.

"Stay there? Are you kidding? I'd rather chance the storm."

"Fine, you do that, we're going to sleep somewhere dry."

Lina called back to him. Ranma stood and watched as they disappeared through the battered doors, finally conceding to follow them when the storm broke, although his Water Repulsion spell meant that he remained bone-dry, despite the torrential rains. The furore inside made him wonder if perhaps braving the storm might not have been the wiser choice.

"What kind of inn doesn't have any food? I'm hungry dammit!"

"Hungry you are and hungry you shall stay; all we offer is a place to sleep for the night. If you want something to eat, you should have brought it yourself."

Ranma watched the colour-changes of Lina's complexion with the dispassionate interest of an artist reviewing his own work, trying to decipher the odds that Lina would go ballistic and blow the place up. To some disappointment, Lina simply clenched her fingers so hard her knuckles cracked before gritting out between teeth clenched hard enough to crush granite to powder.

"Can we at least get some rooms?"

"That we can do."

Ranma watched silently as Lina haggled with the innkeeper for rooms and then went to tell the others about there being no food. Once Gourry and Amelia regained consciousness, Ranma slipped into the group again.

"Okay, they only have two rooms left, so you guys will share one while me and Amelia take the other."

Gourry and Zelgadis looked ready to protest, but a snarl and a barely-audible growl from Lina made them catch themselves very quickly. To try and smooth things over, Ranma shared out the meagre rations he had stored in subspace, which, to tell the truth, would have barely sated his hunger, left alone five others. Especially when three of those five were Lina, Gourry and Amelia. Their miserable meal finished, the group went upstairs to try and sleep; the sooner they had rested, the sooner they could leave this wretched place. The boys looked at their room with disdain; it was filthy and empty of anything except the beds, which consisted of little more than empty, filthy sacks on the bare floorboards.

"This is the pits!"

Ryoga said. Ranma nodded with agreement as he leant against the wall. A creaking noise suddenly split the air as a great crack appeared in the roof, sending a deluge of water down upon Ranma's head. Ignoring the way the others stared at him, Ranma's eyes glowed with energy and the stream of water froze rock-solid, Ranma reaching up to break the icicle free before lying down upon a 'bed' in the corner and using it for a pillow. As the other boys settled themselves down for the night, Ranma spoke up.

"Say, Zelgadis?"

"Yes?"

"I don't mean to pry, but can you tell me why Rezo turned you into a Chimera in the first place? That is if he even had a reason."

Ranma wondered for a second if he'd gone too far or offended the Chimera, as Zelgadis remained silent for several seconds. As Ranma began contemplating how to apologize, Zelgadis sighed and finally spoke back.

"It was several years ago. I was only a young boy at the time. All my life, I had been a sickly child, and our lands are no place for the weak. I practised swordsmanship and Shamanism, but I just couldn't get strong as fast as I wanted. Then, Rezo came to me with an offer. He had a new spell he'd developed, one he said would grant great power to the one it was cast upon, but he hadn't been able to test it on a live subject yet. He asked me if I wanted to be that test subject, to be the first to receive the great power he promised."

Zelgadis sighed again.

"I should have suspected something, it sounded way too good to be true, even back then, but I was blinded by the promise of power."

"If it helps any, I know what you went through."

"Oh?"

Zelgadis sat up and looked at Ranma, whose own eyes were staring upwards unseeingly, lost in his own reminiscence.

"Take it from me; there are few things so tempting, so blinding, as the promise of power. The training manual for the Nekoken my father found promised that anyone who went through the training would become invincible, and you know how that turned out. Even I have been blinded by the promise of power; I can't think of any other reason why I would let two of my drunken friends lead me to the top of a mountain in the middle of the night and then let them cut my heart out."

"Wait a sec, what! When the hell did that happen?"

Ryoga said, Gourry nodding in agreement. Even Zelgadis looked a little stunned. Ranma sighed, and pulled off his shirt, revealing a long, jagged white scar on the left side of his chest. Idly tracing it with the fingers of one hand he continued.

"It was part of a magical ritual, intended to bind my soul with that of my demesne, an act which would grant me greater powers. And it did, though I was lucky. Given how drunk they were, there was a very real chance I would have died, blood gushing from the ruins of my chest. But it was worth it… oh yes, it was worth it."

Ranma's smile sent a shiver of fear down the spines of those present. Ignoring his common sense, Ryoga asked a question he shouldn't have.

"But if your heart was removed, how come you're still alive?"

Ranma stared neutrally at Ryoga for a second, then materialized a dagger from subspace. Before anyone could say or do anything, he rammed it the hilt in the very bottom of the scar, drawing it upwards until he'd left a deep, strangely bloodless, cut. Making the blade vanish again, he made a gesture reminiscent of a stage magician preparing to conjure a rabbit from a hat before plunging his right hand into the wound with a grotesque squelching sound, wriggling it deeper before pulling forth something and gently throwing it at Ryoga.

"That answer your question?"

Ryoga didn't speak; in fact he couldn't speak. He was too preoccupied staring at the still-pulsing organ nestled in his hands. It resembled an ordinary human heart, but one made from jet-black bedrock and deep blue-silver ice, the two materials cunningly interwoven so that it was almost impossible to tell where one began and the other ended. Arcs of lightning emerged from it and surged across its surface at seemingly random intervals. Gourry swallowed hard at the sight of it.

"Th-that's… that's just an illusion, right?"

"Illusion?"

Ranma's tone was totally blank, something that should have warned Gourry what was about to happen. But Gourry, as he would readily admit, wasn't the brightest of people, and he didn't really know Ranma that well. Thus he had no way of knowing that, in return to that question, Ranma would stand up and walk towards him, grab his sword-hand and then plunge it into his wound.

"Does that feel like an illusion to you?"

In the next room, Lina and Amelia sat up with a start as Gourry's terrified scream suddenly split the air. As one they rushed to the boy's room, barging through the door to find Gourry lying on the floor, gibbering mindlessly while Ranma stood over him, pulling his shirt back on. Lina looked back and forth between the two before shaking her head.

"I don't know and I don't know that I want to know. Just keep the noise down all right? Some of us need our beauty sleep!"

After the girls had left, the boys themselves settled down to sleep, Ranma casually tossing Gourry's sack over his twitching form as though he hadn't just driven the blond-haired swordsman catatonic. Other than that, the group enjoyed a peaceful night's sleep… until somewhere around the middle of the night that is, when someone stealthily slipped in through the door, closing it behind them, and snuck over to Ranma's bed. Now, this was perhaps the worst thing they could have done; while Ranma was and still is something of deep sleeper, his time in Otherworld has enforced in him an ability to stay alert whilst still asleep.

Even prior to Otherworld, Ranma has had a deep distrust of anyone who tries sneaking around him whilst he is sleeping, a state of affairs no doubt hammered into the fabric of reality by the rude awakening he got when Shampoo first snuck into his bed to sleep beside him way back. As a result, he instantly snapped awake the moment this person crept into the room where he was sleeping, his gaze hardening as he, or she, or it, moved to his bedroll. Under the cover, his hand moved in certain mystical gestures as he whispered the invocation to a spell under his breath.

"Thunderclap."

Now, all the various magical disciplines of Otherworld have both offensive and non-offensive spells in their arsenals. Mysticism favours non-offense, whilst Sorcery favours destruction, but both aspects of magic are represented in all of the disciplines. The Thunderclap spell is a non-offensive spell of Elementalism, effectively causing the sound of its namesake to emanate from the caster. Though not outright deadly, it is still somewhat startling. Especially if you happen to be sleeping next to the caster when he casts it. Ryoga, Zelgadis and even Gourry, trauma apparently forgotten, shot awake with a great deal of confusion to the sight of Ranma grappling with some stranger.

They struggled to free themselves from their so-called bedding and grab their weaponry, but Ranma broke his victim's spine within a matter of seconds. No sooner had they sprung to their feet, too late to intervene, than they clutched their noses, the fetid stench of decay and plague-wracked flesh suddenly infusing the room. Ranma muttered something under his breath and then clicked his fingers, creating a crackling ball lightning to shed light on the situation. He gently rolled the corpse over onto its back, revealing a face with jagged, slime-caked fangs for teeth, a swollen tongue covered with a thick fur of mould and rotting, sore-coated flesh. The others recoiled as Ranma took a hissing breath.

"Plague-Spawn. Damn it. These filthy wretches travel in packs, so where there's one there's bound to be more, and lots of them too. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone else in the inn is one."

"What are we standing here for then? We gotta warn Lina and Amelia!"

Gourry rushed to the door and pulled it open… to reveal a snarling mass of Plague-Spawn standing outside it. He instantly slammed the door shut and spun around so that his back was pressed firmly against the door, which reverberated as the Plague-Spawn began to thump and bang against it.

"Guess we're not going that way!"

"Why bother going that way anyway? The direct approach works much better in these sorts of situations."

Gourry, Zelgadis and Ryoga all stared at Ranma, who sighed in return before gesturing emphatically, first at Ryoga, then at the wall between their room and Lina and Amelia's. Ryoga blinked before comprehension dawned. One Bakusai Tenketsu later and they were in the girl's room, where Ryoga Bakusai Tenketsu'd the outer wall before the group leapt free of the hotel. As the Plague-Spawn began swarming into the now-empty rooms, Lina and Ranma hurled a Fireball and a Gale Bomb respectively into the building, bringing it crashing down. The very irate adventurers quickly picked off the few Plague-Spawn who managed to struggle free, Ranma grabbing the last surviving one.

"All right, where is your master? Tell me and I'll give you a quick death, refuse and you will scream, that I promise you."

The Slayers and Ryoga looked amongst each other questioningly whilst the Plague-Spawn suddenly twitched, stiffened, and grinned, a sepulchral voice, more like a chorus of voices speaking just barely out of unison with each other, emanating from it.

"If you would throw your life away mortal, come to the north-east. The boneyard will claim your remains."

A creepy laugh echoed through the night as Ranma tossed the Plague-Spawn to the ground, where the flesh rotted into a putrescent liquid and the bones crumbled into mouldering fragments. Ranma scowled and wiped his hands together before walking to the northeast.

"Wait just one minute! What was all that about?"

"Plague-Spawn are created as Necromantic Minions, which means all Plague-Spawn have a master. Now, considering the nature of Plague-Spawn, do you really think that this master of theirs is going to be peaceful? I wouldn't bet on it. So that means that I, at least, have to track it down and kill it. If only to avenge having my sleep interrupted."

"Now hold up! That's three times in a row we've fought monsters' that we've never heard off, but you know all about them! What's the deal?"

"The only logical explanation is that we aren't the only ones to have come from the Hidden Lands."

Ryoga blinked in confusion; how did Ranma know about the lie he'd concocted to deceive the Slayers? Ranma's eye glinted in his direction as the Slayers looked confused at Ranma's explanation. He heaved a rather melodramatic sigh before explaining himself further.

"The lands we came from, the Hidden Lands, have been cut-off from the outside world for eons. Common knowledge is that the barriers were erected to keep others out, but some believe they were actually erected to keep us **in**. Wizards here are regarded with respect, yes? They often have a strong political presence, correct?"

He waited for Lina, Amelia and Zelgadis to nod in reply before continuing.

"Things are different in the Hidden Lands; wizards do not have a political presence; they **are** the political presence. It is we mages who rule the Hidden Lands; we have absolute power over all non-magic users in the Hidden Lands, and have controlled them for eons. But that does not mean we have ruled peacefully, oh no. We have warred amongst ourselves for almost that long, breeding legions of monstrosities beyond anything you've seen here and devising devastating spells to further our goals of conquest. The Plague-Spawn are creatures created by Necromancers, and that means that one of them must also be in your lands."

"That's twice now you've mentioned something called a Necromancer. What are they?"

"In the Hidden Lands, we have developed… different magics to the ones you use. You have only three classes of magic; White, Black and Shamanism, simple and direct. But we have five classes of magic, each one unique. Mysticism is… well, it's the Magic of Life basically, magic to control plants and animals and even the living soul. Sorcery is a magic with which you would be quite comfortable, as it is the Magic of Fire, Heat and Metal. Geomancy is the Magic of Earth, the power to control rocks and stones and the soil beneath one's feet."

Ranma suddenly stopped, yawned, and stretched until his joints cracked before resuming speaking.

"I myself am a practitioner of Elementalism, the Magic of Storms, which grants me control over winds, the weather, frost and lightning. The final discipline of magic is Necromancy, the Magic of Death. Its dominion lies over death, decay, corruption, pestilence, madness and the demonic. Its practitioners are feared throughout the Hidden Lands for their vileness and the sheer repugnance of their spellcraft. If one of them is here in your lands, then it can only spell trouble. Now that this game of twenty questions is over, can I go? I don't know how much ground I have to cover."

"Yeah, yeah, you can go. And we're coming with you; nobody, but nobody interrupts the beauty sleep of the beautiful sorcery genius Lina Inverse and gets away with it!"

"Suit yourself."

Several days later, after several days of being randomly attacked by Plague-Spawn, Cannibal Zombies and other, weirder, things, the group reached where they figured whoever was sending these creatures after them was hiding. A deep cave, guarded by about a dozen Plague-Spawn, stood before them. By now the group were tired and hungry; they hadn't had a decent night's sleep since that inn incident, with bands of monsters attacking them at least once every night, and for the last mile or so there had been nothing to eat; animals caught had turned out to be decaying walking corpses, whilst fruits looked healthy but when cut open revealed an interior of liquid rot and writhing maggots. Suffice to say that none of them were in a particularly good mood.

"If he's not here then I'll eat my cape! Let's get him!"

"Hold on Lina. While I understand your enthusiasm, and even appreciate it, we really don't want to let our enemy know we're here. Let me take care of those guards; your spells are too noisy."

"Okay, but I don't see how your spells are any quieter."

Ranma whispered two words that Lina made out as "Gore Storm", before flinging something at one of the Plague-Spawn. A faint flicker of light surged across its form, but then nothing. Lina turned to Ranma with a mocking tone to her voice.

"Some spell."

Ranma said nothing, but his eyes suddenly developed a reddish glow. Lina turned back to the guards just in time to see the Plague-Spawn Ranma had struck explode into a swirling crimson vortex. The glow in his eyes intensifying, Ranma's gaze flickered towards the next nearest guard. Before anyone could say or do anything the vortex shot across the ground to hit the guard, emitting a faint sound that could be likened to a buzzsaw cutting through wood. As Ryoga and the Slayers watched in horrified fascination, the vortex literally ground the guard into the organic equivalent of sawdust, growing larger and spiralling faster as it did so.

As they watched it shot towards the next target, leaving not so much as a drop of blood behind where its first victim had been. Growing larger, faster and stronger with every kill, it chased down each guard, shredding them into pulp. When the last guard had been disposed off, it stopped moving, spiralling faster and faster, its shape distorting until it was no longer a spiralling vortex but a floating globe of blood. Energy rippled across its surface before it suddenly exploded into action, a pseudopod erupting from its surface and arcing through the air to strike Ranma in the face.

The crimson fluid poured down Ranma's body, but had they looked they would have seen it halt somewhere around his lower legs before flowing back upwards. As they watched in repulsion the gore flowed through the air and down Ranma's casually opened mouth, until all that was left was a faint trickle at the side of Ranma's mouth. He licked it up then exhaled, an ecstatic sigh of a sound before he laughed.

"I'd forgotten just how good that spell felt."

"You are… disgusting!"

Ryoga spat. Ranma turned and smirked at him.

"You think that was bad? This Necromancer we go to face will have far worse, believe me. Besides which, it's not the act that gives me pleasure, nor do I derive any nourishment from it, it's the rush from all that collected life-force energy surging into the very fabric of my being that I enjoy. Now are you coming or what?"

Somewhat hesitantly, Ryoga and the Slayers followed Ranma into the cave. He held up his hand to stop them just before a thick wall of stone dropped from the ceiling to seal off the passageway they were approaching. Ryoga smashed through it with the Bakusai Tenketsu, and then followed Ranma. Several times they were ambushed and several times more the way on was sealed, but the group smashed their way through every obstacle, carefully noticing that, as they went further in, the floor became coated in an ever-thickening carpet of bones. Finally, they stood in a chamber stuffed with bones, a strange and ornate stone tablet sitting on a pedestal at the far end.

"This is it? After all we went through, all those nights with little sleep and less food, all this way to meet that stupid challenger, and he's not here?"

Lina screamed with frustration, a sentiment her travelling companions echoed. Then her eyes went to the tablet and she grinned a tired grin.

"Ah well, even if he's not here at least we won't go away empty handed!"

She approached the tablet and reached out to grab it- which was when the bones surrounding them suddenly began to leap into the air and hurl themselves at her, driving her away before forming a swirling barrier around the tablet. The same laugh they'd heard that night at the inn filled the air, and then streamers of a sickly-coloured mist began to rise from amongst the bones on the floor, forming into a cloud before them. Within its depths, they could see a multitude of decaying, tormented visages, flittering in and out of visibility. The group instantly slid into fighting postures, readying themselves for the next assault as the creature spoke.

"We are Geist, lord of the restless dead. And you will join our legions now."

Its form contracted in upon itself, then it flared outwards, sending a buzzing swarm of flesh-eating insects hurtling at Lina's face. Lina didn't even have the time to think of a counter before Ranma froze them solid with a gout of frost. She turned an eye his way, but his attention was fixated solely on Geist, shouldering his way past Lina.

"First we settle our debt, Mazoku!"

"Do we know you? We don't think we do."

If Geist had been human, Lina would have sworn he was nervous. But as he was a Mazoku, she dismissed that concept right off. Ranma was starting to look angry.

"Do you think I'm some kind of an idiot? And you stay out of this Ryoga! Did you really think I wouldn't recognise you? You're going to pay for stealing that Nullstone from me!"

"Gak! You! You're supposed to be dead!"

"If I could beat your stupid partner to a bloody pulp without getting so much as a scratch-"

Lina decided that it would better for her not to mention the fact that Valmont had put a hole you could see through in Ranma's stomach and then bitten his hand off.

"-Then what makes you think a measly blow like that would kill me? It's payback time!"

Ranma slipped into a fighting posture that looked really impressive- until he sailed right through Geist's body when he tried to attack him. Lina's eyes narrowed as she threw a Fireball at the Mazoku, which also passed through its insubstantial form. She ignored the dirty look Ranma threw at her after deflecting the Fireball, choosing instead to unleash a barrage of Flare Arrows, again to no avail. Ranma dodged frantically, using his agility in conjunction with an Air Shield to keep himself from being blown away by his own ally.

"Will you WATCH where you're aiming please!"

Geist laughed his sepulchral laugh before taunting his foes.

"You fools! We have progressed beyond the world of flesh and blood. Mortals such as you cannot touch us! Make peace with your gods, for now you join us in the afterlife!"

Geist laughed again, failing to notice the sudden glint in Ranma's eye.

"Physically incorporeal… a Mazoku… Zelgadis, Amelia! Hit him with the Ra Tilt! He's a creature composed entirely of tainted spiritual energy, your Spirit Shamanism spells should wipe him from existence!"

The visages with Geist's depths looked frightened, Zelgadis and Amelia's faces broke into twin grins as they began the invocation to the most powerful spell of Spirit Shamanism. Geist pulsed, levitating and hurling an array of bones at the two wizards, but Ranma, Gourry and Ryoga blocked, deflected and smashed them all.

"Ra Tilt!"

Calling out the name for their spell, Amelia and Zelgadis unleashed the blast of spiritual energy, lancing from their hands to smash deep into the "heart" of Geist's form. The Mazoku shrieked in a chorus of voices as its form dispersed into nothing. The group waited for a few seconds, then sheathed their swords- both physical and metaphorical.

"Well, that was easy. I really was expecting something a little tougher."

Said Lina. Ranma nodded, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"I agree. A creature like that would have had immense reserves of magical power. So why didn't he use it?"

"Who cares? Let's just grab that tablet thing and get out of here; we've stopped the Plague-Spawn haven't we?"

Said Ryoga. Lina nodded in partial agreement, and then went to pick up the tablet. Which was when the place apparently decided to explode. The entire mass of bones carpeting the floor leapt into the air as one and began to smash themselves against the group, who frantically tried to defend themselves. Lina could see a strange group of flying… 'things' made from assorted bones grab the tablet and fly away, but was unable to do anything to stop them, being too busy trying to keep a pack of flying skulls from cracking her skull. Oddly enough, it was Ryoga who saved them. For perhaps the first time in his life, Ryoga pulled a Ranma and invented a brand-new martial arts technique on the spot.

"Shi-Shi Hokodan Burst!"

The blast of green, depression-charged ki erupted from Ryoga's body in all directions, overwhelming the magic imbued within the bones and smashing them into powder. It also knocked Ryoga's comrades silly, but better bruised then dead. Once they extracted themselves from the walls they gathered around him, Ranma looking at him with something that looked uncannily like respect. Lina looked at the now-empty pedestal and sighed.

"Twice now these Mazoku creeps have stolen something from us. Just what is wrong with us?"

"Oh, don't sweat it. These things happen. Besides, third time's the charm, right? We'll find them, and whatever they're planning. Now it's personal!"

"Wasn't it personal before, when they hit you over the head and stole the Nullstone?"

"Shut up Ryoga."

Sighing over their pseudo-victory, the tired group made their way out of the bone-littered caves to the light of day.

_Is it just me? Or am I getting worse –or darker- as I further this story? Ah well, please review and let me know what you think! Before anyone asks, Zelgadis made up that explanation he gave to Ranma, to make Rezo seem like more of a villain. As to how Ranma overheard Ryoga's explanation… I really haven't a clue. Maybe he was semi-conscious while Ryoga told it? Still, it's not that big a plot-hole, and a story this warped was bound to have one sooner or later._


	20. Chapter 20

S .5 Part Twenty 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** Okay, I didn't mean for the last few chapters to be so dark; they just turned out that way. Hopefully I won't get any worse, but none of you really seemed to mind anyway. I apologise that Filia's so Out of Character, but I haven't actually seen any episodes of Slayers TRY- I've actually seen only the first 7 episodes of Slayers and episodes 1-4 and maybe 1-2 others of Slayers NEXT.

Part 19: Final Facedown, Part 1

"I'm hungry, I'm tired and I'm sick of walking- can't we stop?"

Ranma gritted his teeth to keep himself from responding to Lina's infantile whining with harsh word or even violence. They were all tired and hungry; what gave her the right to moan about it? It was several hours after they'd fought Geist in the cave. Once Ranma had ascertained that the Mazoku was truly dead, deducing that he'd been so easy to kill because he was distracted preparing the spell that had activated upon his destruction, they'd exited the cave, only to be greeted by Xellos, who'd told them that their next goal lay in a town several days journey to the northwest. Xellos had disappeared after telling them that- a good idea, seeing as how most of them were ready to kill the ever-grinning "priest".

Ranma looked back at the exhausted group from his position at the head of the party and sighed before stopping and walking up to Lina.

"Look, if you're all really that tired, then maybe I can help you. If you'll give me some time, I can whip up a spell to transport a minion of mine from the Hidden Lands, and he can give us a ride to our next stop. Once we're there, then we can get some food, alright?"

Lina didn't say anything; she simply nodded in agreement and then slumped to the ground, Gourry and Amelia following her as Ranma walked off into a thicker part of the forest. Even Ryoga and Zelgadis with their super-human constitutions were glad to take advantage of the opportunity to rest. A faint whisper of Ranma's invocations could be heard from where he was casting his spell, and it was a true measure of Lina's exhaustion that she didn't even try to pay attention to the words. Ranma continued casting for several minutes, eventually ending the spell with a massive flash of a lightning and an unearthly roar that shook the Slayers from their stupor.

They scrambled up and for their weapons as a massive head, a bizarre mixture of cat and serpent, forced its way through the trees. Following the head came two great wings, and powerful forearms tipped with claws that looked like they could shred steel. They retreated as the massive beast kept on coming; from snout to tail it was probably twice of the size of Filia in her true form of a Gold Dragon, and covered in thick "cloud"-coloured fur. It sniffed loudly before throwing its head back in a bestial screaming roar, at which the Slayers gripped their weapons tightly and/or began whispering the incantations to their favoured spells.

"Sit down you great lump! I've told you before about bullying! Nobody's impressed with that 'ferocious monster' act, so just behave yourself!"

Ranma's voice suddenly echoed from behind the monster, which immediately slunk to the ground like a scolded dog, whimpering slightly, a sight that greatly confused the Slayers. Ranma strode into view, tapping a branch against his thigh in a menacing manner as he looked into the creature's eyes. It lowered its gaze after a few seconds, at which Ranma threw the branch away and gently rubbed it behind one of its cat-like ears, prompting a deep throaty purr. Cautiously the others approached, Amelia the first to do so as she replaced Ranma in rubbing the creature's ears. Ranma launched himself upwards, seating himself on the creature's neck near the base of its skull.

"This is Stormclaw, the first of my Silverbacks. He may be a runt, but his courage and stubbornness are exhaustless. Just climb aboard and I'll get you where we got to go."

Rather than ask about that "runt" comment, Lina and the others cautiously clambered aboard. In this the creature's thick fur turned out to be an asset; long and tough they could use it for gripping, and then entwine themselves within it to keep themselves anchored to its body. As the creature unfurled its wings and leapt into the air, they discovered that the fur was also extremely soft, warm and comfortable; being wrapped in it was kind of like being covered in warm, dry snow. Before long, they found their exhaustion and the comfort too much for them to beat; they fell asleep. When they awoke they found themselves hovering in midair, Ranma staring down with an inscrutable expression on his face.

"What's wrong? Why are we still up here?"

"Well, this is the place according to Xellos, but I don't think we should land."

"And why not?"

Ranma pointed downwards, Lina following his gesture. Within the town below she could see familiar flashes and smoke-clouds; someone was obviously hurling spells around. She blinked as she thought she saw something within the chaos.

"Can you take us lower? I think I might know what's going on."

Ranma's eyes hardened, then he nodded slightly, muttering something to their mount and applying pressure with his legs and hands to key spots. It voiced a shriek and then spiralled lower, until it was maybe a half-dozen feet above the rooftops. It shrieked again and hurled itself sideways as first a purple blur and then a crackling bolt of white energy shot through the space where it had been.

"You filthy wretched Namagomi! Just you wait until I catch you! I'll, I'll, I'll!"

"I know that voice- and that anger too. Filia!"

Ranma and Ryoga blinked as the source of all this destruction suddenly emerged from the smoke, revealing itself to be a fairly attractive blond woman- with a long golden-scaled tail tipped with a pink bow. She looked both stunned to see Lina and somewhat sheepish. The Slayers descended first from Stormclaw and then from the roof, until they were on the ground with the woman. Ryoga hesitantly followed, but Ranma stayed put; he had no intention of leaving his position of safety behind around a dozen tons of fang, claw and muscle until he knew what was going on. He blinked as the roof below caught fire, sending smoke into his eyes. A command from him and Stormclaw spewed a torrent of ice, smothering the flames.

"Boy Filia, you still know how to make a real mess of things. So what happened? What brought this about?"

Filia's tail curved behind her head as she stared at the ground and scuffed her foot, for all the worlds like a little girl who knows she's going to get in trouble.

"Well… it's been a long and stressful week, I've been so frustrated lately and then, well, **he** shows up with his taunts and that smug attitude of his and… it was more than I could stand! I kind of got carried away…"

"I'll say you did."

Filia blinked at that unfamiliar voice, then turned to find herself staring up the eyes of some sort of giant cat-snake thing. It hissed, plumes of silvery-white vapour trickling from its jaws as she instinctively backed away for several steps. A voice speaking what sounded like a reprimand in some alien tongue drew her attention from the beast to the youth riding its back, a boy of about seventeen. She blinked as she noticed first him, and then a similar boy standing besides Zelgadis and Amelia. Finally she found her voice.

"Who are they?"

"I am Ranma, and this is my associate Ryoga. And who might you be?"

"I am Filia Ul Copt. I run the Weaponry and Pottery shop in this village. Speaking of which, what brings you all here?"

"It's a long story, and one we'll tell you after we get something to eat. So which way is it to your place?"

Filia blanched, imperceptibly to anyone bar Ranma, who sympathised with her; he wouldn't relish the idea of having to feed Lina AND Gourry AND Amelia either. After a few seconds, she nodded and led the way, Ranma casually dropping from Stormclaw's back to the street below, but not before giving him orders to fly around the town, extinguish all the burning buildings, and then hide himself in the woods nearby to wait for further orders. Within a matter of minutes they had reached Filia's house/store, where she somewhat reluctantly laid out a meal, which the Slayers fell upon with their customary enthusiasm, Ranma resorting to his skills of "Dining Fu" to ensure he and Ryoga got a decent portion.

When they had eaten everything on the table, which nominally meant they were full, they began detailing their recent exploits to Filia, who, in turn, answered their questions about why the past week had been so stressful.

"It started about eight, maybe nine days ago. People started reporting that their livestock or pets were disappearing, that they had heard things creeping around their homes at night, or even seen glimpses of furtive figures skulking through the shadows. Then, people started to disappear. The first to go was a small farming family, near the forest. People who went to investigate reported that the door had been smashed in and the interior had been torn apart, of the family there was no sign but a torn, blood-soaked child's dress. Then a store was raided, the shopkeeper brutally murdered, and a guardsman who was posted there to keep watch disappeared into the night."

She paused to pull out her tea set and drink a cup of tea before continuing.

"Maybe three-four other families have disappeared since then, the village is in a panic. No one knows who or what's responsible. Some started saying that it was Beastmen raiders, which makes no sense; we've gotten along pretty well with the local tribes, and the few who've dared to come to town recently say that their members have been disappearing too, most of them have left now. I've been keeping Gravos and Jilias inside, and turns out it was a good idea. We were attacked last night."

"What! Are you alright?"

"Yes, fortunately they didn't seem to know what they were getting into; between the three of us, we quickly sent them packing and with little damage to the store. Unfortunately we didn't get too good a look at them, but Jilias says they stunk to high heaven of diseased flesh and rotten meat."

"Plague-Spawn and Cannibal Zombies, perhaps?"

Muttered Ranma, drawing a curious look from Filia. He shook his head and motioned for her to continue.

"However, one of them dropped something; a sort of necklace, with a weird sigil inscribed upon its surface."

"May I take a look at that please? I might be able to decipher its meaning."

Filia dug into her pocket and pulled out a crudely carved amulet, which she then handed over to Ranma, who sat back as he scrutinized it. After a few seconds, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped in disbelief.

"Impossible! It can't be! But it's not… I mean… how?"

"What? What is it already?"

"This… this is an Icorn!"

"An Icorn? You mean one of those things that grow on oak trees?"

"Stupid! That's an Acorn yoghurt-brains!"

Shouted Lina, grabbing a well-gnawed mutton bone and smashing Gourry over the head with it. A bead of sweat trickled down the back of Ranma's head as he continued.

"An Icorn is a sort of magical seal or mystical fingerprint, an arcane symbol that every wizard from the Hidden Lands possesses, and each one is both unique and impossible to duplicate. I recognize this one from my history lessons. This is the Icorn of one of the most infamous Necromancers of our land, a monster who was known and feared as the Lord of Terror; the Ragman. But it can't belong to him."

"And why not?"

"Because the Ragman met True Death at the border-stronghold of Karn several thousand years ago. If I didn't know that it's impossible to forge Icorns, I'd swear this was a fake. But if it is real, then the Ragman is still alive. And that is not good news for us at all."

"Why?"

"Because the Ragman was a psychotic maniac! He was considered a deranged monster even by his fellow Necromancers, who responded to the news of his defeat at the hands of Acheron the Heartless, an escapee from some primal hell for creatures without souls, by throwing a month-long party."

"Wow, they really must have hated him."

"A month is nothing, they partied for almost a whole year after he was proclaimed destroyed."

"Huh? Explain that."

"When Acheron beat the Ragman, he didn't kill him; he simply chained the Ragman to a rock in a cave deep within the Dragon Graveyard of Solis. After several centuries there he managed to escape, and was slain at Karn as he attempted to gather forces to seek revenge on the entire Hidden Lands. At least, that's what I learned in history classes. But if this Icorn is the genuine article, then I can only wonder what his plans must be."

"Hey, don't sweat it; we'll find out when we hunt this guy down and beat them out of him. So let's go!"

"Are you serious? Have you lost your mind? If this is the real Ragman, then we're talking about a wizard with several thousand years of experience behind him; do you have any idea how powerful he must be? We seriously need to think up a strategy before we go charging in."

"So what would you suggest?"

"First, I suggest you all get some sleep. None of us have had a decent rest since we were first attacked in that inn, so you go and find yourselves a place to rent for the night- don't look at me like that, do you really think that Filia would be able to house us all? Before I turn in I'm going to take a look through the supplies I brought with me, see if there's anything useful. Unless any of you have any better suggestions?"

Several seconds of silence, followed by a mass shaking of heads announced that they didn't. Saying their goodbyes to Filia, the Slayers left for an inn. Ryoga pulled his sleeping roll out of his backpack and laid it down on the floor in the living room- after Ranma gave him strict orders not to move from that spot. After explaining Ryoga's rotten sense of direction to Filia, and being introduced to Gravos and Jilias, Ranma made his way down to the kiln where, once he was assured of his privacy, he began the spell to breach the interdimensional wall.

The next morning, he and Ryoga breakfasted with Filia, Gravos and Jilias, the Slayers arriving afterwards, evidentially having breakfasted at the inn where they had spent the night. Ranma stood up and began to pull the items he had obtained last night from subspace, handing each to an appropriate ally.

"For you, Gourry, an enchanted sword. I know you've been seeking a replacement for the Sword of Light and, while probably not that powerful, I think you'll find this much more useful to you than an ordinary blade. Its name is Stormbreaker."

Gourry took the blade from Ranma's hand with an expression like a little kid on his birthday. He admired the weapon, his attention particularly drawn to the ever-shifting lightning strike pattern on its blade. He hefted it experimentally and then made several practise swings before smiling his satisfaction.

"Amelia. I know you dislike weapons, but we can't risk any of our numbers in this mission; you need to be able to defend yourself. This is the Blood of the Gloomfrost, an enchanted hammer of my own design."

The Blood of the Gloomfrost turned out to have been completely sculpted from some sort of black ice, though to Amelia's surprise it was only slightly cold to the touch. As she hefted it experimentally she suddenly stopped and focused on it.

"I… I can hear something, coming from within it. A deep, rhythmic pounding, like the beat of some massive, ancient heart."

"You can hear the heart of the mountains? That's a good sign; it seems to have bonded with you. You'll find it much easier to wield in that case. Finally, I have these Masks of Wind; some Necromancy spells manifest as clouds of taint that need to be inhaled to affect their victim, these Masks will keep us safe from them, as well as cutting down the stench that clings to seemingly all of the minions of Necromancy."

He handed the strange, alien masks around, demonstrating how to put them on, Zelgadis doing so with particular eagerness- with his keen senses, the stench from Plague-Spawn and the like was particularly noxious. Finally, Ranma turned to Filia.

"I know you've retired from the adventuring life, but will you consider coming with us? We could use someone with your physical and magical strength; this is going to be a tough battle."

Filia thought it over for a few seconds, and then nodded, 'discretely' pulling out her "mace-sama" and brandishing it menacingly.

"I'll come with you. It's bad enough having that Mazoku namagomi stirring up trouble around here, but this is an enemy I can actually put a stop to!"

"So, it seems the ex-priestess has finally come to her senses about the ways of fate. How amusing."

Filia shrieked and whipped around in a devastating swing of her mace, narrowly missing the aforementioned piece of trash by inches. Xellos rematerialized on the opposite side of the table, very close to Ranma, wearing his trademark grin. Though that grin wavered just a fraction of an inch when Ranma suddenly exploded into motion, latching onto Xellos with all of his inhuman strength. Ranma developed a pleasant, happy smile of his own as the Slayers, Ryoga and Filia blinked in confusion.

"Ah, Xellos! Just the Mazoku I wanted to speak to. How fortunate you chose this moment to show up."

"Oh? And what do you want to talk about?"

"Well, it seems we're finally ready to wipe out the breeding grounds for those 'rogue Mazoku' your master has you chasing. And, as it's your mission too, I was of the conviction that you should accompany us to lend us the assistance of your own dark magics. With both you and Filia with us, the battle should be much easier."

"And precisely what makes you think I would accompany you?"

"Well like I said, this is really **your** mission, not ours. If we hadn't stumbled onto them while they were after that Nullstone, or if we hadn't decided to pursue them, then we would probably be have been left alone. And for another thing…"

Here Ranma's expression turned malevolent, his grip on Xellos tightening until, had Xellos been human, he would have started to choke. Ranma's emotions disappeared from his aura, leaving him as cold and heartless as an ice sculpture.

"I am **sick** and **tired** of the way you get us tangled up in your messes and then let us do your dirty work! I have a **lot** of stored-up stress to vent, and I am just itching to take it out on someone. Now, you can either come with us, or I swear by They Who Must Not Be Named that I will take a blunt object roughly the size of Gourry –**and** his sword- and stuff it lengthwise into a crevice of your being so seldom seen that even the denizens of the infinite hells themselves wouldn't touch it with a twenty-foot rusty halberd! Have I **MADE** myself perfectly **CLEAR**!"

Ranma's eyes were so firmly fixated on Xellos' that he couldn't see the expressions of the others behind him, which was probably a good thing for all concerned. Filia's expression was a mixture of shock, awe and admiration, while even Xellos looked mildly discomfited. Ranma and Xellos were both silent as a deserted tomb for about a minute, then finally Xellos nodded once and spoke a single word.

"Crystal."

"Good."

Ranma released Xellos, who didn't teleport away but remained where he was, absentmindedly rubbing his neck, whilst Ranma grinned as though he hadn't been about to explode in a savage fury just seconds ago. He walked over to the table and grabbed the Mask of Wind he had used to demonstrate how to attach them, applying it to himself before turning towards the door.

"Well then, let's go."

"Wait a sec, how are you going to find this guy?"

"With this."

Ranma brandished the Icorn, which they noticed was beginning to glow.

"A beginners mistake, and one he must have presumed he needn't worry about making here. A simple spell known to all wizards of the Hidden Lands, and this Icorn of his will lead us straight to him. Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go."

"Suppose he left it here deliberately?"

"Wow Ryoga, that's a very good point. Unfortunately we have no way of knowing for sure, so all we can really do is prepare ourselves for the worst."

Pausing only to wait for Filia to persuade Gravos and Jilias to remain behind and continue to look after Val's egg, the group headed into the forest under Ranma's guide.

_Now I **know** this chapter reeks. Originally I meant for this chapter to have Ranma and the others facing off against the other two rogue Mazoku, then fight the big boss in the next but, well, things didn't go that way. On the bright side, this means that the next chapter should be a lot more action-orientated._


	21. Chapter 21

S .5 Part Twenty-One 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** Okay, so that's 20 chapters of decent quality. Here's hoping that winning streak doesn't desert me now!

Part 20: Final Facedown, Part 2

Any doubts that Ranma could direct them to the hiding place of this "Ragman" had vanished by the time they first encountered a band of the now-familiar monsters Ranma dubbed Plague-Spawn. Several more bands of monsters slain later, and they stood in front of the location where Ranma swore that the Ragman was hidden; a small and very ramshackle fortress. Lina heaved a melodramatic sigh.

"You'd think a guy like this would have a better lair."

"Appearances can be deceiving."

Ranma sounded oddly distracted, and when Lina turned to face she saw he looked distracted too, though he was also twitching and… it might just have been a trick of the light playing on the eye-lenses of that mask he was wearing, but were his eyes turning red?

Though she would never know it, Ranma was distracted; by one of the nastier aspects of Otherworld Magedom, a little mental itch charmingly and aptly referred to as the Red Rage. It cause was unknown, though there were many theories, but its symptoms and effect were uniform and unmistakable. It was essentially a magically charged killing frenzy, a berserker state in which the unfortunate mage found their powers greatly augmented but also found themselves consumed with the urge to use that power to destroy anything and everything around themselves. Mages in the grip of the Red Rage could devastate armies… or annihilate their own forces with equal glee.

For some reason, Ranma was somewhat prone to the Red Rage; Yuki and Yiku had theorized it was due to the urge to seek out worthy opponents (which was the reason he could never refuse a challenge) that his ham-fisted father had crudely imprinted upon his subconscious. Luckily, all Elementalists received special training to help them learn to control dull, even nullify, their emotions. The "official" reasoning for this deliberate emotional stunting was that it made them more like their patron deity, favouring logic over instinct. The unspoken truth was that it also made them better at resisting the Red Rage's overtures.

If not for this, than Ranma's companions might have received a very nasty surprise indeed. Taking a slow breath, he forced the seething tides of fury, bloodlust and spite down into the core of his mind, mentally imprisoning them beneath several feet of ice. The Red Rage boiled with fury, but the mental block held and it calmed, waiting for either Ranma's conscious decision to unleash it or to dwindle to nothing. Ranma's eyes reverted to their normal blue colour as he gave Lina a reassuring grin, forgetting for the moment that she couldn't see it.

"Sorry, my mind was wandering. Now then, we need to stick together; we don't know how long the Ragman's been here and thus how many minions he has at his command. Remember; keep them at a distance if you can, and if you wound them don't let them hurt you."

"Isn't the object normally to avoid being wounded at all?"

Remarked Xellos in a dry, sarcastic tone. Ranma turned to him and smirked, though they couldn't see it, as he replied.

"Necromancer creatures are vampiric healers; they can restore their own health by injuring others. They generally aren't much from a distance, but let them get close and they'll laugh off every blow you land, right before they rip your face off and eat it."

Xellos said nothing in reply; simply returning to the state of silence he'd been in ever since Ranma had browbeaten him into accompanying them. If he had been human, he could have been considered to be sulking. The human (relatively speaking) members of the group simply ignored him as Ranma cautiously opened the door into the fort. Inside, they understood what Ranma had said about appearances being deceiving. This chamber alone was perhaps twice the size of the Saillune throne room and carved from black marble, whereas the outside had been small, shabby, and made from wood. Lina silently walked outside to observe the fort, then came back in.

"Okay, what is going on?"

"The Citadel of Night and Bones. A very impressive, very difficult spell that creates a personal pocket plan, accessible only by either the caster, his minions or those who posses the creator's Icorn. Step carefully here; you don't want to know what sort of traps he could have lying around here."

Ranma's point was punctated by a massive stone block descending from the ceiling to seal off the entrance. Ranma simply stood back and watched as the Slayers frantically tried to break out, neither Ryoga's Bakusai Tenketsu nor Filia's massive strength leaving so much as a scratch on the surface. He sighed as they persisted in struggling futilely for several minutes.

"Forget it; these walls are made of magic, not stone. Only something like, say, Lina's Giga Slave could destroy them. The only way out of here is to defeat the Ragman. Come on."

Slowly, reluctantly, they followed Ranma's lead. They had anticipated needing to use Light spells, but the place came with its own forms of illumination; numerous braziers and "shelves", carved to resemble a variety of grotesque faces and figures, stood everywhere, each filled with a flickering flame of an unusual colour. As they walked through the chamber and into the hallways beyond, Lina noticed flames that were sickly green, bright purple, jet-black, tarnished silver, blue-tinted white (or was it white-tinted blue?) and a weird black-tinted deep red that was disturbingly reminiscent of blood.

She couldn't help the feeling that they didn't really illuminate the darkness so much as distinguish it from what was in it. As they went down one turn and up another, entering a room full of very… _'graphic'_ 3d carvings, Ryoga started getting frustrated.

"How long are we going to tramp through this lousy labyrinth? Where are we?"

He pounded on a carving in frustration, at which the wall suddenly spun around, snatching Ryoga up like a set of diabolic jaws and cutting him off from the others, who rushed to the spot where he had been.

"Ryoga! Hey, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine! I can't seem to make this thing work backwards though."

"Us neither, is there a passageway there?"

"Uh… yeah."

"Then you'll have to follow it, try and find your way back to the main hall."

"Are you out of your mind? With my sense of direction?"

"You don't have any other choices, now do you? We'll continue after the Ragman."

They could hear Ryoga muttering to himself before he walked away down the passage. Silently agreeing as a group to avoid touching anything else, they continued their journey. They blinked when they realised they had entered a deformed cul-de-sac, instantly going for their appropriate weapons as the faint sounds they had learned to associate with the monsters they had come face began trickling into the room. Ranma slowly spun around and began backing towards one of the alcoves in the walls. No sooner had he placed his back against it than the ceiling suddenly dropped on him, landing with a dull boom that instantly brought the Slayers' attention to it.

"I should have seen that coming. I must be getting slow."

Ranma muttered to himself; though it had appeared he had been crushed, in actual fact the only part of the ceiling that had dropped was a stone wall, serving to plug up the alcove. At the same time, the section of wall he had his back too had risen upwards revealing a new passageway. He came out of his observations to realise the Slayers were calling out to him. He shouted back at them.

"I'm fine, but look's like I'm cut off from the party too. Wait, there's a switch here. Back away; I'm going to press it."

Ranma pulled on the lever and was rewarded with the sound of grinding stone, though the wall blocking him off didn't move. Lina called to him, saying something about a passageway opening up in their chamber, but Ranma wasn't listening. He was too busy listening to the approaching sounds of monsters. As he settled in a fighting stance, the first of them began to appear, a wave of Scythes, who he knew would be especially deadly in this enclosed environment. He smirked; trapped alone in the dark with hordes of enemies and no innocent bystanders? This was going to be fun… Inside Ranma's mind, the mental block exploded…

Lina had been calling to Ranma, but backed off at the sounds that began coming through the wall; explosions, screams, bones splintering, the crackling buzz of electricity and other sounds that she couldn't identify and frankly didn't want to. She turned to the other Slayers who, without a word on her part, nodded and followed her down the passageway that had opened up. Ranma didn't need any of their protection. After several minutes of walking, the passage flared out into a wide, column-filled room. It was the prefect place for an ambush, as Lina soon realised.

A drop of warm, slimy liquid dripped down onto her face. Lina wiped it away with her fingers before looking up where it had come from. Clinging to the ceiling, drool running from its eagerly curled lips, a painfully gaunt figure with long, taloned fingers and vicious fangs shrieked back at her before launching itself to the ground below, more of its ilk swarming from behind the columns.

"Ambush!"

That was all Lina had the time to say, and it was all she needed to say as the Slayers, already tense and battle-prepped, met the incoming rush of enemies. Zelgadis hacked the head from one of the clawed fiends, but another used his momentary distraction to close and deliver a vertical-sweeping blow that would, had Zelgadis been an ordinary man, first torn his face from his skull and then opened him up like a gutted fish. As it was, Zelgadis managed to shut his eyelids in time to keep his opponent from gouging out the vulnerable orbs, leaving the beast's claws to scrape harmlessly over his stone skin. Zelgadis' riposte opened a gash in the beast's sides through which its entrails spilt onto the floor, leaving it tangled in a bloody skirt as it tried to retaliate in kind.

Behind him, Amelia was truly beginning to appreciate Ranma's gift to her. The Blood of the Gloomfrost felt as light as a feather in her hands, yet the way flesh touched by it was mashed into a squamous pulp and the way bones splintered like cheap glass ornaments in its wake clearly indicated the sheer weight of its blows. Though she had never actually wielded a weapon like this before, it seemed to fit into her grasp as though it had been born there.

Dispatching his opponents, Zelgadis noticed that another of the monsters was creeping up behind Amelia. He started to shout a warning, but Amelia whipped the hammer over the back of her head and crushed the creature's skull to pulp. Zelgadis fought back the urge to sigh as Amelia grinned in triumph and gave him a "V-Sign" before the two of them returned to the fight.

Though hesitant to use a Fireball in this enclosed environment, Lina had no problems with using her Flare Arrows to riddle her enemies with holes. They screamed, a sound that embodied pleasure and joy as much as it did pain and rage, and kept on coming despite the volley, though some inevitably dropped to the ground and were crushed by their uncaring companions. Gourry, whose enchanted sword augmented its keen edge with flesh-melting surges of electricity, quickly cut down those who made it through Lina's spells.

The ambush was over as quickly as it had started; the Slayers were left surrounded by piles of corpses. Lina looked around for any signs of life or further ambush, and then signalled the other Slayers to follow her. They knew there would be more ambushes like this to follow, but they couldn't let that stop them; they had to face down the Ragman.

It was several hours later, as far as the Slayers knew. It felt like several days, what with all the fighting they'd been doing. Even now, they were engaged in mortal combat with yet another brood of monstrosities spawned by their as-yet unseen foe. These were a slightly different form to the various beasts and freaks they'd already fought, standing about ten feet high and with physiques that reminded Lina and Gourry of the "Fighting Dragon's Blood Macho Men". If those bandits had dagger-like fangs, claws like meat-hooks and were in the habit of going around devoid of both clothing and skin anyway.

Instead of fighting until they were all dead however, in this case one of the few survivors pulled a lever that opened the floor beneath the Slayers, sending them hurtling down into darkness before the floor slammed shut again. Fortunately for the Slayers, the sixty or so foot drop wasn't enough to kill them. Instead, they landed, rather painfully, in a dark and unpleasantly wet chamber, Zelgadis in particular landing with a sort of squelching splash, where they were immediately assaulted by an indescribably foul odour. Even through their protective masks, the stench was hard to bear. Lina swallowed the urge to gag.

"By the gods, what is that smell?"

Instinctively she cast a Light spell, only to immediately wish she hadn't. The source of the stench was revealed to be an incalculable amount of filth, rot and decay, spread throughout the entire room. The floor was covered in a noisome carpet of filth and muck; the walls were adorned with partially defleshed skulls and other bodyparts, cemented in place by their advanced state of decay, and numerous deep pits, filled to the brim with rot, were scattered all around, with maggots squirming in an almost solid layer, several inches thick in some places, across everything. It was into one of the pits of maggots and muck that Zelgadis had fallen, and Lina didn't need to be able to see his face to see his expression at discovering he was up to his chin in putrescence.

Slowly and deliberately, he pulled himself from out of the mass of filth, frantically brushing off any clinging maggots the moment he was back on "firm" ground. The Slayers tensed at a sudden loud squelching noise. Beneath the light of Lina's spells, the uncountable masses of maggots began to pour and ooze across the ground, swarming down the walls and out from the pits to coalesce into a giant, quasi-humanoid mass before them, towering up towards the ceiling. It raised its gangly, malformed limbs threateningly and voiced a gurgling roar before taking a squelching, shambling step forward.

"Ew."

The Slayers started at that sudden pronouncement; not because they disagreed with the sentiment but because of who had voiced it. Xellos looked at the monstrosity with one eye open, his face twisted from his normal eternal grin into an almost human expression of disgust. The Slayers shook off their bewilderment and went into fighting stances, readying themselves for the onslaught of a creature that would still be deadly even if it were only half as dangerous as it was disgusting. Lina shook her head as she began casting a Fireball.

"I wonder if Ranma's having a better time of this?"

Ranma, as it would transpire, was currently completely in the throes of the Red Rage, and having a simply wonderful time as he butchered and slaughtered his way through the citadel's barracks'. Once he'd been cut off from the Slayers he'd unleashed the Red Rage that had kindled within him when they'd approached the fortress, using the last of his conscious mind to direct himself towards the greatest concentration of life-force energy. Had anyone the mind to, Ranma's trail through the citadel could easily be back-tracked by the vast pools of blood, mounds of ash and charred and/or mutilated corpses left in his wake. His face split into a feral grin at the sight of more victims approaching.

The first of the approaching creatures, a Netherfiend, fell in less than a heartbeat, impaled from the inside out with numerous jagged shards of ice. A Tatterdemalion, a demon similar to a Netherfiend but scrawny instead of bulky and with its stomach area consisting of a nest of thorny, fang-mouthed intestine-tentacles that dripped copious amounts of corrosive venom, charged towards Ranma, only for a massive pillar of lightning to crash down upon it from the ceiling, leaving behind nothing but a scorch mark upon the floor. Ranma howled in dark exultation, like a destructive force of nature that relished the suffering it inflicted.

Subsequent attackers were met with a Razor Vortex, a horizontal whirlwind of blade-like winds that sliced those caught within their ungentle grasp to ribbons, being a lower-level ancestor of the Gore Storm spell. A Wind Slice spell produced a semi-transparent blade of magical energy that ricocheted from wall to wall, slicing off anything in its path so that it left the floor in its wake littered with severed limbs and heads. An Ice Spike spell impaled enemies from below with icy stalagmites, whilst a Storm Fury Blast merged gale-force winds and savage lightning bolts into a single devastating beam of energy that annihilated everything before Ranma.

Charged with the fury of the Red Rage, Ranma felt not even the slightest hint of fatigue from casting so many powerful spells in such rapid concession. He licked a trickle of blood –his or an enemy's, he couldn't say- from the corner of his mouth and set off at full speed down the corridor. The appearance of a set of massive, ornately carved doors, guarded by a pair of Styx, deepened his smile. Casting a Speed-Up and an Ice Talons spell he shot towards the doomed guards, who barely had time to aim their weapon-limbs at him before he had literally torn them in half.

With a dramatic gesture he smashed the doors open with such force they were almost torn from their hinges. At the sight of the occupants of the chamber; the last two of the Mazoku who had struck him down at Delasoa, his rational mind shared a surge of savage glee to match that of the Red Rage. He roared with the fury of a tornado and hurtled towards them, both his rational mind and his raging mind equal in their desire for vengeance.

"Yuck. I sure hope this comes out in the wash."

"Why would you even want to keep that clothing? You might get rid of the stain, but the memory lingers. I intend to burn this the moment I get a chance to do so."

"I gotta agree. I mean, that was one seriously gross monster; a giant man made out of maggots? Ick, that's really all I can say. Say, anyone have any ideas where we are?"

"Beats me; I lost track somewhere back around when we got attacked by those giant cockroaches from hell, or was it the mutant spiders? Either way, I can't remember. I wonder if we're ever going to find this Ragman character."

"Seek and you shall find human."

A stereotypical "Mad Dark Lord™" laugh suddenly echoed through the chamber the Slayers had entered, prompting Filia to frown and then tap Xellos "gently" over the head with her mace.

"That wasn't funny namagomi."

Xellos turned to her with a hurt look.

"For your information, that wasn't me. I happen to have a much more sophisticated sense of humour."

Any retorts Filia or the other Slayers may have had were cut off by a crackling globe of darkness that hurtled from out of the shadows to impact and detonate amongst them, hurling them across the floor as the laugh sounded again. Tired though they were, the Slayers took up their now intimately familiar fighting positions.

"Who did that? Who are you?"

"Why, child, I am he who thou seek. I am the Ragman, the Lord of Terror, soon to be absolute ruler supreme of this entire wretched dimension! And you are none other than the legendary Lina Inverse. Before I destroy you, I must offer you my thanks in return for allowing me access to this marvellous world of yours."

"What are you talking about? I cast no spells that should have contacted the Hidden Lands, and why didn't you start this goal of yours there?"

"Hidden Lands? What are you talking about? I come from Otherworld, an entirely different universe to this one altogether."

"Huh?"

"How should I put this? Reality is like an infinitely vast ocean, with an infinite number of tiny islands scattered across its surface. Each island is in fact a universe. Your universe, consisting of the Sea of Chaos and the Four Worlds that rise from its depths, is one such island, whilst I came from another."

"Ranma told us nothing like that; he said you all came from a place on this world, cut off from outsiders by powerful spells!"

"Then he was obviously lying to you. If 'Ranma' is the name of that young Stormlord that accompanies you, than he too is a student of Otherworld. In fact, judging by the strange appearance of both himself and his witless slave, I'd say they come from a different universe to Otherworld as well."

"What? Why would he lie to us?"

"Who knows? For that matter, who cares? You won't live long enough for it to matter."

Lina was really getting sick of the way these villains always had to gloat so long about everything.

"You talk big, but let's see how you stack up to your boasts in person!"

That laugh echoed again and the Slayers tensed as they saw something moving in the shadows, the doors behind them slamming shut.

"Face you? Personally? Why not; how better to test my new powers than by annihilating the most powerful warriors of this world!"

"Hold on!"

"What? First you challenge me, then you beg for mercy? And I haven't even revealed myself yet!"

"Who's going to beg who for mercy? I just want you to explain what the hell is going on!"

The unseen shape in the shadows shifted restlessly and then heaved a long sigh.

"Very well, if I must. As you were probably aware, I was slain at the battle for Karn many millennia ago. Though it should have been True Death, my spirit was too powerful and I had made too many pacts with forces beyond your comprehension to slip quietly into that long night. Instead of experiencing oblivion, my physical form was utterly shattered, casting my screaming spirit into the void between dimensions. I was ruined, my powers torn from the very essence of my being. I was less than the meanest ghost, but yet, I lived. Travelling blindly through the rifts between dimensions, I was drawn to one in particular. Your dimension."

The shadows swirled around their bodies as the Ragman's voice took on the distracted tone of someone deep in contemplation.

"I have watched your world for several centuries now, though I could never muster the strength to break free from the Astral Void and enter it for myself. But that changed, thanks to you, Lina Inverse."

"What do you mean, thanks to me?"

"When you destroyed the Darkstar-Valgaav conglomerate, you unleashed an incredible amount of raw, demonic essence. Essence which I absorbed to revitalise myself and which I used, in conjunction with the planar rift created by Darkstar, to enter your world at last. For a time, I drifted across the world, still bereft of physical form. I contemplated approaching the Mazoku, to offer them my allegiance as I had done with countless other forms of demon in the past. But I rejected that consideration after a week or two."

"Why?"

Xellos sounded somewhat offended, but that was nothing compared to his reaction to the Ragman's next, casually spoken sentence, which left him gobsmacked and Filia struggling to hold in a grin.

"Because Mazoku are idiots, that's why. They claim to desire chaos, but what they seek to achieve is nothing less than oblivion. And that is not chaos."

"Yes it is!"

Said Xellos and Filia as one, the former in a rather petulant tone, the latter in a disbelieving one.

"No, it is not. Destruction is chaos, yes, but oblivion is cold, endless stagnation. Nothing changes, nothing moves; all is empty; all is dust. Oblivion is nothing less than order in its darkest form. Chaos is conflict, change and strife, destruction and creation in equal measures. I would never seek to destroy a world."

"Than what do you seek?"

"Isn't it obvious? I seek to rule it. Through methods long and bloody, I expanded my magical might, though physicality always eluded me, and began my experiments in creating a new breed of Mazoku, a race of Demons to replace the old and foolish breed who threaten the integrity of this world. This culminated in my creation of Valmont, Geist, Eilanna and Phobos, and my sending them to acquire the Nullstone and the Tablet of T'vok. Through an ancient rite, I was reborn; as a new Mazoku Lord. Enough talk. Now, we fight!"

_To Be Continued…_

_Argh, I know, I know, I promised the final showdown with the Ragman, but I really felt I should get some feedback on my combat-related writing style first before I set it up. I deeply apologize for this inconvenience. Besides, I was getting close to my self-set word limit for this chapter anyway. I'm trying to "paint" the scenes so you can fill in the details with your mind, but I can't tell if I'm doing it right. Input please? And I wouldn't mind suggestions for the Ragman's new form either._


	22. Chapter 22

S .5 Part Twenty-Two 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** Well, it's good to know that you like my style of writing; I must say, I never could have gotten this far without you all. Just one question; Bobboky, what info did I give you?

Apologies for the delay in getting this chapter up; first I had writers block, then a crash wiped out my work when I was about a third of the way done, and then another crash wiped me out when I'd almost resurrected my original writing- I've basically done this chapter three times over!

Part 21: Final Facedown, Part 3

As the Slayers prepared themselves to battle the Ragman, one may well have asked; where were Ranma and Ryoga? Ryoga, as it would transpire, was currently wandering through what was essentially a combination of a library and a labyrinth, seemingly designed by M.C. Escher on one hell of a drug trip, fighting against the various abominations that stalked the place. He wasn't sure which was the greater threat to him though; death at the hands of a monster, or insanity caused by wandering the twisted geography of this place.

As for Ranma, well…

He'd won the battle easily; the combination of Ranma's power and the fury of the Red Rage meant you didn't need to be Nabiki Tendo to know which side to bet on, but he wasn't really in the mood for further battles. You see, he'd come out of the Red Rage just after he'd won, whereupon he'd spent the next ten or so minutes being sick. But then, what do you expect from someone who just came out of a mental fugue to find themselves crouching over a pair of suspiciously mutilated corpses with a disturbingly full feeling?

You see, though the Red Rage does bestow considerable power upon a Mage who gives in to it, those under its influence are notorious for being anything but discerning about their choice of targets. There are many stories (all too vile to be told here) about what Mages under the influence have done to their closest friends and family members. So, really, Ranma should be feeling grateful that his wrath only fell upon his enemies. Of course that wasn't much consolation to Ranma; there are few things more disturbing than having to pick bits of Mazoku pseudo-flesh out of your teeth.

Retching a few more times to ensure he was completely purged, Ranma stood up and looked around the shambles of the room, pointedly ignoring the corpses of his kills. A sign that said "Spawning Chamber" indicated the only way out of the room, barring returning down the path he'd taken to get here. Ranma looked at it and sighed; he did not like the sound of that. As he headed down the dark passageway, he spoke to himself aloud.

"I wonder how Lina and the others are doing?"

The Slayers, as it would transpire, were currently tensing in anticipation as the Ragman emerged from his concealing shadows, the dimensions of the room they were in warping and distorting incredibly as he did so.

The Ragman stood about as tall as the Fragment of Shabranigdo that Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis and Amelia had encountered during their first journeys together and his body was covered in numerous jagged spurs of bone. His overlong arms, which reached almost to his knees, ended in oversized hands that were little more than clusters of spikes. Three eyesockets, only one of which contained an actual eye, stared down at them from a horned, skull-like face. Great wings flapped experimentally in the cool, still air. Slowly, deliberately, the Ragman moved his hands up and down his body, like a model showing off her figure.

"Am I not magnificent? Am I not a true icon of horror and darkness? You should feel honored for the great privilege I have bestowed upon you; you are the first mortals to witness the glory that is my new form. The first to witness, and the first to die!"

The Ragman suddenly shot forward with incredible speed and agility for a being so large and bulky. The Slayers scattered in all directions to avoid being crushed, stomped, smashed or otherwise mangled by the giant abomination, who reacted to their desperate efforts with a peal of sadistic laughter.

"So you intend to struggle against the inevitable- to prolong your agony! Suits me fine; it will give me great pleasure to wring every last drop of torment from your writhing, twisted bodies before I finally allow you to expire. After all, compared to me, you are harmless."

_Harmless!_

Lina's ego burned at that statement, but any retorts she could have made died on her lips as she threw herself to the ground to avoid the massive spiked tail that whistled inches overhead. She scrambled to her hands and knees, only to freeze and stare upwards as the shadows surrounding her deepened; the Ragman loomed above her, one claw-hoof poised to squash her into a squamous jelly. Her instincts screamed at her to move, but she was frozen solid despite her best efforts. The Ragman sneered as he spoke.

"One down, five to go."

"Don't count your chickens before they've hatched!"

The Ragman voiced a startled exclamation before bellowing loudly, more in rage than pain and more in shock than rage, as Gourry darted in from out of nowhere to slash at the Ragman's Achilles tendon with Stormbreaker. The Ragman stumbled backwards, at which Lina shot out from her former position of doom, and began trying to squash Gourry underfoot, the blond-haired swordsman nimbly dodging each "blow" before retaliating with a strike of his own. Finally, the Ragman got lucky with a kick; sending Gourry flying backwards. Hissing, the Ragman took a single step towards the fallen swordsman before being hailed by Lina.

"Hey, ugly! Try this one for size!"

The Ragman spun to face the self-proclaimed Sorcery Genius, only to become the target for a spontaneous casting of each of the spellcasting members of the Slayers. A Dragon Slave, twin Ra Tilts, a Chaotic Disintegrate and a Mazoku spell that resembled a triangular beam of crackling black energy arced through air to strike the Ragman simultaneously, enveloping him in a massive sphere of magical detonation. Lina laughed triumphantly and pulled a V-Sign.

"Score one for the little guys, right?"

"Wrong!"

Lina's smile evaporated and she spun back to face the site of the explosion, where the Ragman was revealed to not only be still standing, but apparently unscratched by the mystical barrage he had endured. The Ragman flashed a malevolent grin, his voice may as well have echoed from the deepest depths of a graveyard as he spoke.

"It will take far, far more than a single cheap shot like that to put me down! But fair's fair; you've shown me your power, now I'll show you mine!"

With a hissing scream, the Ragman's fangs were backlit by a hellish crimson glow, tendrils of energy arcing across his face before he heaved a massive bolt of magical energy at the Slayers. The Slayers, possessing considerable experience in regards to explosive blasts of high-powered magic and how to avoid being caught at ground zero, had started running in all different directions the moment the Ragman's throat had started to glow. Though it saved them from being vaporised, the explosion still hurled them painfully through the air. Groaning as their many aches and pains made their presence felt, they pulled themselves to their feet as fast as they could.

It was about half an hour later, and the Slayers didn't think they'd ever known time to go past so painfully. As well as trying to crush them under his massive fists and occasionally blast them with his breath weapon, the Ragman had demonstrated he still retained all of the spells from his previous incarnation as a Necromancer. So far, the Slayers had found themselves harassed by swarms of blood-sucking insects, engulfed by waves of blood and pus, beset by wailing clouds of ether, blasted with translucent projectiles and beset by screaming winds. But the Ragman wasn't having things entirely his way either.

Gourry was still darting around the Ragman's legs, slicing and slashing relentlessly at the tendons whilst avoiding being kicked or trodden on. Though every wound inflicted sealed over as they watched, Lina was positive that the speed with which the wounds healed was decreasing, and each wound now left behind a faint white scar when it healed, which meant the Ragman's lower legs were now covered in a tangle of white scars.

Swallowing her exhaustion, Lina hurled another Dragon Slave at the Ragman, this time she was definite that the bleeding, smoking mass of mangled flesh healed at a much slower rate. This, combined with the bellow of pain that erupted from the Ragman sent a surge of hope into her heart; it looked like they were wearing him down. If they could just keep this up, then they would win!

As the Ragman prepared to launch another of those energy bolts of his, Lina countered by launching a Dragon Slave of her own directly at the bolt, mere seconds after it left the Ragman's mouth. To her amazement, the Dragon Slave struck the center of the bolt and actually forced it backwards, literally thrusting it back down the Ragman's throat whereupon it detonated within his body, prompting a scream of fury and actual pain from the towering abomination. Lina's triumphant smirk vanished as the Ragman turned towards her, an expression of equal parts rage and shock visible on his face through the smoke gushing from his jaws.

"It seems I have misjudged you, that you are an actual threat to me. Very well, no more games; now I will fight for real!"

Lina didn't like the sound of that. She liked the way the eye sprouting from his brow began to glow even less. She took off running as the Ragman blasted the spot where she had been, leaving a molten crater in the floor. Lina had never liked "Tag" or any such games when she had been a child, and she hated it all the more now that she was an adult- especially when the Tagger was coming after the Taggee with eyebeams. She dodged and wove across the floor, staying ahead of the Ragman's beams by mere inches, until the Ragman got tired of missing and made a hand gesture; at that a pair of rotting hands suddenly shot up out of the floor and latched onto Lina's ankles, almost tripping her.

"What? Hey! Let go of me!"

"Struggle all you wish; your doom is at hand."

Lina stopped trying to pull herself free and turned towards the Ragman, her eyes wide at the sight of the leering monster, his eye aglow. Was this how it was all going to end?

"In the name of Justice, leave Miss Lina alone!"

"What!"

The Ragman spun around, only to receive Zelgadis and Amelia's combined Ra Tilt directly into his third eye. The brilliant beam lanced into the core of the monster's eye which, a split-second later, exploded in a geyser of pus and ichor, eliciting a scream of pained fury from the Ragman, whose hands leapt up to cover the spurting wound. His concentration broken, the Ragman's spell upon Lina was lifted and she was freed. And just in time too.

"You conceited wretched humans! I'll kill you for this!"

It looked like the pain from that injury had caused the Ragman to loose it altogether. Either that or that Ra Tilt had fried some of his brain. The Ragman shot randomly across the room at his full speed, though his agility was –fortunately for the Slayers- shot to hell due to his lost eye and his rage, going after first one Slayer, and then another. Each Slayer he targeted managed to dodge him, and then retaliated in turn with a spell or a blow from their weapon.

But their luck couldn't hold out forever; the Ragman's claws finally closed around Xellos, who found to his horror that he couldn't teleport free. The Ragman gripped Xellos' legs in one hand and his upper torso in the other and savagely pulled in opposite directions; he was trying to literally tear Xellos in half! Xellos gasped softly, a faint trickle of what passed for blood amongst Mazoku splattering his jaws, and then hoisted his staff into the air and buried its pointed end into the Ragman's wrist-joint. The Ragman bellowed and hurled Xellos through the air before clutching his slowly bleeding limb, glaring at the Slayers as hatefully as he could with two empty eyesockets and one burst eye.

"You have wounded me mortals, injured me for all my power. I will not deny that I am impressed by your prowess. Once I have destroyed you, I will use your souls to create my next batch of Mazoku New-Breed."

"Who's gonna destroy who Ragman? You can obviously tell that we're the ones kicking your ass, and you still claim you can win? You give new heights to arrogance!"

Proclaimed Lina, trying her hardest to keep her exhaustion from showing, as the other Slayers rallied behind her. The Ragman simply began laughing, something that Lina didn't like.

"And you give new heights to foolishness! Did you not realize that I had only completed the ritual of transformation mere moments before you entered my chamber? I was at barely a fraction of my true power! That and that alone is the reason you were able to wound me! But now I have reached my full potential!"

As the Slayers watched in horror, black energy surged across the Ragman's body. Wherever it touched, damaged flesh was knit anew, burned meat peeling away in great strips to reveal new, healthy tissue beneath. The bleeding wound in his arm vanished, and even his punctured eye was restored. The Ragman spread his wings dramatically and roared, a sudden wave of translucent energy erupting from his body and sweeping over the Slayers. In its wake, they felt weak and tired, their exhaustion evidentially magnified a thousand-fold. The Ragman sneered as he strode towards the immobile Slayers.

"You fought long and well mortals, but the victory is mine, as it was destined to be! Any last words?"

"How about… **Moko Takabisha**!"

A tightly focused beam of brilliant blue energy suddenly split the darkness, slamming into the Ragman's back and engulfing him in a wave of blue light. The Ragman snarled and turned towards where the beam had come from. There, crouching in the shadows, was a form that Slayers were positive was none other than Ranma Saotome. The Ragman sneered with disdain as he spoke.

"A futile gesture; that didn't even tickle. Now you too shall meet doom at my- WHAT!"

The Ragman broke in mid-speech, howling as a sudden surge of blue energy arced and crackled across his body, the pain evidentially sufficient to knock the monster to his knees.

"What in the name of Charnel! What have you done to me?"

Though the Slayers could not see his face in the shadows, they could practically feel Ranma smirking in reply.

"It is clear that you have failed to study your new form, otherwise you would have been aware that strong sources of positive emotions can sap the strength of Mazoku such as yourself. The Moko Takabisha focuses and concentrates pure, undiluted confidence and self-esteem into a blast of energy, one which is like poison to creatures such as you."

"Hrargh… I'll kill you for this!"

The Ragman visibly forced himself to keep from screaming as more tendrils of blue energy arced across his boy, constantly and randomly twisting and turning and splitting. Wherever two or more tendrils intersected they produced a small but violent explosion of blue flames, leaving behind an oozing crater in the Ragman's flesh. As the Slayers watched, the Ragman began to crackle and spit as explosion after explosion began detonating across his body. The Ragman forced himself back to his feet, taking first one unsteady step towards Ranma, and then another.

"You think that this pain will destroy me? I will overcome it!"

"No doubt you could, given time. But I am not so foolish as to rely on just one attack alone to defeat the likes of you. For you see, by becoming what you are now, you have forfeited the immunity you once possessed. Oblivion awaits you Ragman! Death comes to claim thee!"

The Slayers blinked at that unexpected bit of drama, but could only watch as Ranma, his body suddenly engulfed in a crackling, screaming aura of dark energies, slammed his open hands upon the ground, a network of darkling glowing cracks suddenly racing the floor to surround the Ragman, who looked incredulous as they suddenly erupted into a brilliant vortex of energy. The Ragman screamed and frantically hurled himself against the vortex, but each time he touched the walls he was repelled.

As they looked on in mute fascination, ghostly green flames began consuming the Ragman's body, erasing it completely before being drawn down into the bottom of the vortex. The Ragman screamed, a long, drawn out and terrible sound of equal parts fury, terror, pain and despair.

"No! NO! **NO!**"

The Ragman's final words trailed off into a ghostly scream as he was entirely consumed, becoming little more than a plume of otherworldy fire that was sucked into the vortex, which began to consume itself before their eyes, closing in on itself, growing smaller and fading away until not a trace was left of it. The moment that occurred, the Slayers found themselves able to move again. Any desire to rush Ranma and either congratulate him, beat the hell out of him or simply question him was cut off by the violent tremors that began shaking the floor. The columns that had survived the battle, and even chunks of the far-away roof, began to topple to the splintering floor.

"What's happening? It feels like this place is coming apart!"

"But of course. With its master dead, the Citadel of Night and Bones is crumbling back into the primordial darkness from which it was made. Unless you want to go with it, I suggest you take the portal."

"What portal?"

Ranma pointed to the pillar of light that had suddenly appeared on the floor.

"Oh, that portal. Wait a sec; what about you?"

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'll go get Ryoga- now hurry! This place is collapsing faster than Soun Tendo's courage."

Any thoughts about pulling the noble act and staying behind to help were quickly killed in the womb as a massive chunk of ceiling smashed to the floor mere inches from the Slayers, who promptly dove into the pillar of light and disappeared, the pillar itself vanishing behind them.

"Now that I've finally gotten that lot out of the way…"

Upon entering the pillar, the Slayers had been blinded by a brilliant light, and experienced a feeling of gentle falling. When the two wore off, they found themselves standing on the grass outside the fortress (which was currently erupting blasts of light and sound), Ranma and Ryoga standing besides them.

"Wow, you sure found him quick."

"What are you talking about? Skip it- I suggest we get as far away from here as possible."

Seeing as how the explosions from the fortress were currently getting more and more violent, the Slayers concurred with that suggestion. They took off running as the fortress erupted in a Dragon Slave-esque blast of energy behind them. From a safe distance away, Ranma, Ryoga and the Slayers looked back at the deep, smoking crater that marked where the fortress had once been. Ranma sighed, dusted his hands off and turned to the Slayers.

Well, that's that take care of, yes?"

"Yeah. Wait a minute- we want to talk to you two."

Ranma blinked at the strangely steely tone to Lina's voice, but, tired as he was, he knew he could defeat them if it came down to a battle. Coupled with his curiosity, that knowledge was all he needed to make him nod in agreement and follow the tired adventurers back to Filia's house.

_Okay, I know I promised that Necro-Ranma would show up in this chapter (technically he did- if you catch my drift), but he will show up in the next. I hope the fight scene wasn't too big of a disappointment, but I felt I should give the Slayers a chance to strut their stuff too. Ah well; feedback please!_


	23. Chapter 23

S .5 Part Twenty-Three 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** okay, what's going on? Close to 1000 views to my last chapter and only two reviews? And be honest; how many of you figured out that it was Necro-Ranma who saved the Slayers from the Ragman?

Part 22: Confessions of a Mage- Since when are there two Ranmas?

It was a tired and weary band of adventurers that had limped, both physically and metaphorically, back to Filia's house. Of them all, Xellos and Ranma were the only ones who were uninjured.

Despite the fact the Ragman had almost succeeded in tearing him in half, Xellos, due to his Mazoku nature, was devoid of the considerable internal injuries an ordinary creature would have suffered- one advantage of having a physical form that was literally nothing more than a single mass of flesh, devoid of bones, organs or blood vessels. Once he'd gotten out of the Citadel, he could effortlessly repair the damage to his physical form.

Ranma, on the other hand, was uninjured entirely due to his skill, though one would be forgiven for thinking otherwise on first appearance. He was liberally drenched in blood, his arms and hands had left a trail of gore all the way back to Filia's, and the Slayers had decided it was better not to ask why his face and especially his mouth was dripping with blood, especially give the haunted, empty look in his eyes.

His eyes cleared a little as he watched the way Gourry moved, clearly indicative of massive bruises and at least one broken rib. Sighing softly to himself, he gestured towards Gourry, a thin streamer of bluish-green energy wafting from his hand to encircle Gourry, whose wounds healed instantly in its wake. Gourry stopped, blinked in confusion, and then turned towards Ranma, who responded with nothing more than a carefully cultured blank look. Gourry simply shrugged in return and kept walking. The others' injuries were much less severe, consisting mostly of bruises, scrapes and minor cuts. When they reached Filia's house they all went in, bar Ranma, who stayed outside.

"What are you doing out there?"

"Cleaning myself. Unless you want me dripping blood on your clean floors?"

"How can you do that? I mean, it isn't even raining."

The sky suddenly darkened; there was a loud thunderclap, and a massive downpour of rain gushed from the sky. After barely a minute, the storm stopped and Ranma came in, slightly damp but cleansed of gore. He half-turned towards Filia.

"That answer your question?"

Filia didn't bother to reply as Ranma walked over to a chair by the table and slouched into it, watching with disinterest as Lina, Zelgadis and Amelia formed a semi-circle formation before him, grim expressions on their faces. Resting his head in his hand, he waited patiently for several seconds and then opted to break the uneasy silence himself.

"So? What exactly did you want to talk about?"

"Lying. Specifically, you lying to us."

Though he didn't show it externally, internally Ranma was not pleased; they seemed to have found out his secret, a calculated risk of bringing them along to aid in fighting the Ragman. He had been found out, but he might as well go through the motions of drawing this out, if only to try and stave off the inevitable for a little longer.

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about; when did I lie to you?"

"Don't play dumb! You lied to us about where you came from; the Ragman told us everything. You aren't from any 'Hidden Lands', you're from some whole new world, some other dimension."

Lina partially stumbled over the unfamiliar word, and Ranma sighed, partially shaking his head in its resting position. Seeing no point in trying to deny it, he nodded once before confessing.

"Yes, it's true; Ryoga and I do indeed come from a different dimension. So what? What's your problem with that?"

"We don't have any problem with that, our problem is that you lied to us about it!"

"What was I supposed to do? Tell me; what would you have done in my situation, hmm? Basically, our homeland was need-to-know information, and you lot didn't need to know. So now what are you going to do?"

"Nothing. I mean, why would we want to do anything? Besides, we do kind of owe you for saving our lives."

Ranma blinked in confusion.

"I saved who when from the what now?"

"Don't play dumb, you saved us from the Ragman, remember? Then the place started collapsing and this portal opened up, that's when you told us to go through, because you were staying behind to find Ryoga. When the portal finished dumping us, you and Ryoga were standing right next to us."

Now Ranma looked really confused, and his confusion was actually genuine.

"I think you must be mistaken; when the Citadel started collapsing I was fighting my way through the Spawning Chamber when a portal opened up. I leapt through it and there I was outside with all of you."

Ranma decided to avoid mentioning that he had already passed through the Spawning Chamber and entered a treasury when the collapse began, as well as to keep quiet on the subject of the numerous magical treasures he had "liberated" and that were now nestling in a cluster of subspace pockets, their collective magical auras beginning to give him something that could be considered a spiritual stomach ache. After all; what they didn't know wouldn't hurt him, right? A part of him wanted this game of Twenty Questions over with so he could get a better look at his new loot, but another was wondering precisely what had happened when they'd been separated.

"I think you better start from the beginning; tell me everything that happened from the moment we got separated from each other in the Citadel…"

A while later, Ranma was nodding his head occasionally as he listened to the Slayers talk about what had happened after they'd gotten separated from him. They were all taking it in turns to do so, which was rather confusing. They'd talked about the ambushes, the Maggot Golem, the living torture chamber and all the other battles they'd fought until they reached the Ragman. Then they started on the battle with the Ragman. When they reached the part where the person they thought was Ranma had saved them, and described the spell he did so with, that was when Ranma snapped to attention.

"How could you have possibly mistaken that spell for one of mine?"

"Well, if you had told us what you were capable of in the first place. So what was it anyway?"

"Not having seen it myself I can only guess, but it sounds like the Doom's Gate spell. Very nasty."

"What does that do?"

"Oh, nothing much, just opens up a one-way portal straight to Oblivion that, if the caster is powerful enough, can be wide enough to swallow an entire city. It's one of the most powerful Necromancy spells, not the most powerful, but definitely more than a kick below the belt. And you thought it was me casting it? I wish."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a small fact of life about Magehood I really didn't want to have to educate you on; acquiring complete mastery of one discipline of magic forever prevents you from being able to learn any of the other disciplines. I could learn your styles of magic, if I had the mind to do so, but Necromancy, Sorcery, Geomancy and Mysticism are forever beyond my reach; in my hands, their spellbooks are about as magical as burnt waffles. But on to more important matters; this doppelganger- who is it, what is it, where did it come from and what in the infinite hells is it planning? Ah well, it's same-sex this time, so at least I don't have to worry about it trying to seduce me."

The Slayers and Ryoga all blinked at that final statement, then their heads rotated to face Ranma, who returned their questioning look with his own, personal, patented "blank but still definitely threatening" gaze.

"Forget it; that story goes with me to the grave."

Lina looked like she wanted to say something, but settled instead for stretching and cracking her neck.

"So now what do we do?"

"I recommend we take it easy and unwind; after what we've been through, we need to relax. This doppelganger can wait until we're all one hundred percent again. Me, personally, I intend to find some breath-mints, or maybe some mouthwash, and then take another bath."

"I got some of those, but what do you want them for?"

Asked Ryoga from his position on the floor, handing the aforementioned packet and bottle over. Rather than answer, Ranma crunched the entire batch of breath-mints down in one mouthful and then drained and swallowed the mouthwash in a single gulp. He eyed the bottle speculatively, then shrugged and ate it as well; heedless of the alarming way it crunched and splintered as he chewed. He gulped audibly and returned the stunned looks of the others with a blank look of his own.

"What was all that for?"

"You're better off not knowing. Let's just say that Mazoku is far from likely to become the next taste-sensation."

He spat a sliver of glass with such force that it embedded itself into the wall before turning and walking away, leaving a group who turned to eye Xellos, who was looking somewhat disconcerted, with speculative gazes. He shrugged and then teleported away, though none of them were particularly sure why he had followed them to Filia's in the first place. They then turned their attention to Ryoga, who shrugged in return and then stretched out flat on the floor, using his backpack as a pillow, muttering as he did so.

"Don't ask me what he was going on about. I don't know, and I don't want to know."

With nothing else to do, Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis and Amelia left to have lunch and maybe enjoy a public bath, whilst Filia decided to do the same here in the comfort of her home.

Several hours later, Ranma was finishing sorting through his assorted treasures in the guest room, lying on his stomach whilst he examined their magical auras in an attempt to decipher their various uses. Whenever he was successful, he applied a small note with the item's name and a brief on its activation and powers before placing it within a special subspace pocket he had created especially for that purpose. By now he was up to the final artefact; an incredibly rare Ultimate Annihilator Key, a mystical staff that was essentially the magical equivalent of a BFG9000. He'd just finished attaching the note to it when he stopped suddenly, his head shooting up and turning in the direction of the window.

"I hear you. It is time we met face-to-face."

Overwhelmed by the urge to answer this mystical summons, a call of a type he had heard only a few times before in Otherworld, Ranma leapt through the window and vanished into the horizon, so distracted that he actually left the UAK out in the open. As fate would have it, that was just the moment when Ryoga managed to find his way into the guest room.

"Ranma? Filia's made some lunch and she wanted to know if you wanted any. Ranma?"

Ryoga's eyes took in the empty room, the open window and the faint shadowy blur that was most likely Ranma disappearing into the forest.

"Now where the heck is he going? Hey, what's this? 'Ultimate Annihilator Key. To use simply point pronged end at enemy and press indicated jewel. Caution; do not point at self, friends or people whose lives are actually of use to you. If target survives, run for your life.' I wonder why he left this out? Or where he got it for that matter? Never mind, how does that saying go? Finder's keepers, losers' weepers? I'll make sure it's kept safe… still; I wonder where he's rushing off to? Maybe I better tell the others. Perhaps he's gone after that 'doppelganger'."

Hmm, Ryoga with an Omega-Grade Weapon of Mass Devastation… anyone else get a sudden ominous premonition of doom? Ranma certainly would have, had he not been so distracted by the Mage's Call echoing inside his brain. Within minutes of having received it he had traced it to a spot deep in the woods. Unsurprisingly, there was a group of Necromancer Minions waiting for him; though rather than trying to fight they chose instead to slink off into the undergrowth. When the Call stopped resounding inside his mind, he knew he had reached his goal. That doppelganger was here, he knew it. He spun as a strangely familiar laugh sounded behind him; how had he managed to avoid his senses?

"Because I am you, Ranma. I know you as well as I know myself, your thoughts are my thoughts, my deeds are yours… ah heck, you know how the spiel goes."

"So where did you come from? I think I would have remembered getting cloned."

"Cloned? Oh no Ranma, I am far more than a mere clone. I'd be quite willing to explain, if…"

"If what?"

"It's been so long since I had a real martial arts battle. I will tell you my story, if you can defeat me in combat. So what do you say?"

Ranma had the disconcerting sight of seeing his grin on another, virtually identical face. The face would have been completely identical to someone else, but Ranma knew his face –though calling him a narcissist would not have been a good move- and could see subtle differences. Maybe it was the strange glint to the eyes, seeming to speak of a fevered mind and twisted soul. Maybe it was the unhealthy pallor of the skin. Or maybe it was the razored teeth and seven-inch long prehensile tongue. But Ranma had to admit, he did like the sound of a chance to enjoy a "friendly" martial arts battle.

"No magic, right?"

"Right. Though Hybrid Techniques are valid. So, what do you say? You in?"

"You're going down clone-boy."

Ranma's eyes glowed as his focussed his aura and frost magic into his hands, his special "Soul Blade" technique allowing him to use this gathered energy to form a pair of solid-ice katanas within his grasp. Though Ranma had never formally trained with them –but since when has Ranma formally trained for anything?- he couldn't help but pick up a few things from Kuno who, though he might possess the IQ of an insect, was still a rather skilled swordsman. Coupled with the fact that these weapons were literally an extension of his self, Ranma could wield them with non-paralleled skill. He settled into a fighting stance as the Other smirked.

"Never figured you for a traditionalist."

Ranma blinked at that as the Other also settled into a fighting position. Before his disbelieving eyes black energy, mana and ki merged into a single substance, began to flow into the Other's hands, coalescing into the form of a war-scythe, its notched, razor-sharp blade heavily spattered with blood-stains, more of which oozed down the thorny black wood of the shaft. Ranma wondered at the way the Other was holding it, then he noticed that a second blade emerged from the bottom of shaft, facing in the opposite direction to the one above. The Other leered at Ranma, his mutilated tongue slithering out to taste the air.

"We fight!"

Ranma smirked back, muscles and sinews tensing to launch him like the living weapon of destruction he was right at the Other.

"Let's go."

In a blur of movement too fast for mere human eyes to follow the identical warriors shot towards each other, their blades clashing against each other with a brutal crescendo that resounded throughout the glade. The Other brought his scythe down in an eviscerating strike, only for Ranma to catch it with his own crossed katanas. In response, the Other brought the lower end of his scythe upward, twisting it around in an attempt to disembowel Ranma with the secondary blade. Ranma blocked it with his left katana and slashed out at the Other with his right, only for the Other to dodge and counter with a powerful kick aimed at Ranma's face, which succeeded in forcing the two apart.

Ranma grinned at the Other, who sneered in return before deliberately licking the blade of his scythe in an attempt to shock Ranma into making a mistake. A failed effort, but worth a shot. His expression not changing an inch, Ranma dissolved the two ice-katanas and formed a single two-handed katana with a blade of pure electricity. In return the Other split his scythe into a pair of kamas, each attached to its relevant wrist by a cluster of viciously barbed chains, which didn't actually loop around his wrists but actually grew into them. The pair then returned to the attack, the clash of metal on metal ringing into the air as, unbeknownst to either of them, the Other's minions encircled them.

Ryoga had finally managed to find his way back to Filia after about half an hour –and if you think that's extreme, remember that this is the guy who took several hours to find his way out of the Cat Café- and had told her about Ranma's disappearance and, with considerable reluctance, had shown her the magical doomsday device he'd found in Ranma's room. As a consequence, he, Filia, Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis and Amelia were all trailing after Ranma, though less from concern about him (or the doppelganger) and more on finding out where they could get UAKs.

It hadn't been easy trying to track Ranma down, but they'd managed it. They finally came to a clearing surrounded by creatures they thought they'd never see again, the sounds of savage battle coming from the clearing and mingling with cries coming from the watching monstrosities. The group prepared to be attacked but, though a few creatures did turn their heads in their direction, they were ignored in favour of whatever was happening in the clearing. Somewhat hurt, they shouldered their way through the crowd until they reached a tall, multi-armed abomination that was simultaneously smoking a cigar, accepting a myriad of goods and writing and handing out betting slips.

"All right freaks and ghouls, place yer bets and place 'em quick! This fight is getting red-hot, I tell ya, I ain't never seen two warriors go at it like this. C'mon people, place yer bets! The Stormlord with ice in his veins or our own malevolent overlord, which of them will stand triumphant over the others broken, bleeding corpse? I accept all known currencies and I'll give great bargains on unknown jink!"

The humans (and Chimera and Gold Dragon) looked at each other with confusion, then resumed forcing their way through the crowd until they could see what was going on. They stopped and stared at the sight of Ranma and his doppelganger fighting in the center of the clearing. As they watched, the Other knocked Ranma to the ground and straddled atop him, trying to force Ranma's electric katana down into Ranma's throat with his kamas.

"I am invincible!"

"You're a loony!"

Grunted Ranma in return, managing to draw his leg up between them and kicking the Other as hard as he could in the stomach, sending the Other flying backwards. In midair he flipped to land on his feet, recreating his scythe and laughing as Ranma himself jumped up and lunged towards him, their blades clashing against each other as Ryoga and the Slayers looked on in confusion, their eyes going from one to the other as they tried to figure out which was which. Ryoga settled for trying to discretely get a good shot with his UAK.

"How do we tell which one's which?"

"We can't. Guess I'll just have to kill them both."

"Ryoga!"

"Just kidding! Just kidding!"

Ryoga waved his hands in a desperate attempt to ward off the looming, hammer-wielding figure of Amelia. Locked in mutual combat, Ranma and the Other's eyes both moved in the direction of Ryoga and the Slayers before returning so they were staring deep into each other's eyes. They nodded as one, then broke apart, dissipating their weaponry back into their auras as the creatures surrounding them let out a chorus of groans of disappointment. Ignoring them, Ranma and the Other grinned and shook hands, pausing only for a few seconds as the Other barked orders at his minions in High Stygian. They ambled away, clustering around the bookie, as Ryoga and the Slayers approached.

"You found him I see, but who is he?"

"More to the point, where did this come from?"

Asked Lina, gesturing to the Ultimate Annihilator Key clutched in Ryoga's grip. A bad move, because quicker than anyone's eyes could see Ranma's hand shot out, whipped the UAK from Ryoga's hand and made it vanish into thin air. Ryoga gaped, then looked at Ranma with a look most identifiable as that of a little kid who's just had a prized, or at least considerably desired, item plucked from their grasp. Ranma ignored him, turning his attention to Lina, as the Other smirked at Ryoga's displeasure.

"Last question first; none of your business. First question last; I don't really know, he was just about to fill me in, weren't you?"

"Huh? Who, me? Oh, yeah, I guess so. For starters, I'm not a clone. I'm as much the original Ranma Saotome as you are."

"Wait, how is that possible?"

Asked Lina, the Other turning to her and smirking before shaking his head and returning his attention to Ranma.

"You know of parallel dimensions, do you not? You and I share the same basic reality, but our paths diverged at one key point. Can you guess what?"

"Otherworld."

"Yesss, Otherworld. Whereas you chose to follow Stratos and become an Elementalist, I chose a different path."

"And what was that path?"

Asked Gourry, not particularly disappointed when the others, including Ranma and the Other, facefaulted; even he recognized it was a pretty dumb question. Pulling himself back to his feet, the Other seemed to direct his words especially to Gourry.

"I chose to follow Charnel, god of strife, god of slaughter, god of death. From him, I learned to take strength from suffering, to nourish myself on pain and agony. I am Martial Artist, and I am Necromancer, and in both arts I am lethal."

"That said and done, why are you here? I sincerely doubt it was just to find me."

"Actually, it was just to find you."

The Other stood there and waited patiently for the others to pick themselves off the floor. Ranma shook his head in disbelief, looked the Other straight in the eye and then spoke a single word.

"Why?"

"Some time I ago, I experienced an… 'accident'… whilst travelling through my Altar. I ended up emerging from the Altar of another of our parallel selves; one who dedicated himself to James. We fought, initially, but once we calmed down we began to talk. It was most… enlightening. Since then, I have travelled to parallel dimensions twice more, meeting two more versions of us. One a Mystic, the other a Sorcerer."

"Why?"

"For one simple reason; companionship. You know as well as I that we are unique, alone in the cosmos. I have worked to forge a network of knowledge between us, so that we may communicate to each other and make use of our collective strengths. And tell me truly; does not a part of you find the idea of finally being able to talk to someone who truly understands you an attractive one?"

Ranma didn't speak, he simply nodded, at which the Other reached out his right hand, first two fingers extended and all others curled into the palm, and touched Ranma's forehead in a curiously formal gesture. As Ryoga and the Slayers watched, completely clueless as to what was happening, Ranma repeated the gesture. Their eyes closed for a few seconds, then opened as they stepped away from each other in perfect synchronicity. They bowed formally to each other, and then turned in the opposite direction to each other, the Other starting to walk away before calling over his shoulder to Ranma.

"So, we'll see you there?"

Ranma nodded and the Other disappeared in the same direction his creations had gone, leaving Ryoga and the Slayers more than a little confused.

"Okay, what the heck was all that about? What just happened?"

"Simply an invitation to join him and my 'other selves' at his home for a while. Speaking of home, you and I really should return to Nerima."

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Ranma and Ryoga blinked and then turned to Lina with identical looks of confusion on their faces.

"What? Was it something I said?"

"Why would you want to come with us?"

"Why not? We've explored a lot of this world and, frankly, blasting bandits is getting kinda old. So I thought we should come with you; it'll be fun to see a whole new world."

Ranma and Ryoga didn't speak, neither of them trusting themselves to do so, but their minds shared identical images of exactly what could happen if Lina and her friends showed up in Nerima. Slowly, Ranma shook his head.

"I really don't think that would be such a good idea… I'll tell you what though, we'll stop off in Dalara Peaks, and from there we'll see about slowly introducing you to our world. But first, who wants to come?"

After a few minutes of conversation, only Filia opted to remain behind, explaining that she had her shop, Gravos, Jilias and Val's egg to take care off. Ranma nodded and watched as she left before turning his attention to the others.

"Okay now, stand where I show you and **don't move**. Or speak. One tiny distraction on my part and we could end up scattered across the core of a sun. Get me Ryoga?"

Ryoga blushed as Ranma directed his attention to him. Duly warned, they gathered around Ranma as he began the invocation. Had anyone been there to see, they would have witnessed the group's image waver, fade and then disappear without a trace.

_Okay, roughly four and a half thousands words, and absolutely nothing happens. So what sort of chaos do you think the Slayers could cause in Nerima? How would the Tendos and the Saotomes take if Ranma's "other selves" decided to pop in for a visit? Here's hoping that the next chapter comes off- though if people are as sick of this series as they seem to be I might not bother to write any more._


	24. Chapter 24

S .5 Part Twenty-Four 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** okay, so people are still reading this and enjoying it too- I can't begin to tell you how happy that makes me. I'm sorry for the threat at the end of the last chapter, but to me lack of reviews spells lack of interest (it's one of my many personality flaws). A reviewer claimed this story is starting to dwindle in quality; is it really?

Part 23: The Five Faces of Ranma

Six figures could be seen moving stubbornly through the endless blizzard, just barely visible through the howling winds and fiercely driven snows. One figure spoke to another, shouting to make itself heard above the din.

"How can you stand to live here Ranma? It's freezing! And we can barely see a thing in this weather."

"I'm not affected by the cold the way you lot are, and besides which the blizzard is par for the course in Empyrea; if it isn't snowing, it's raining and if it isn't raining it's foggy. Just try and follow me, I'll get you to shelter before you freeze solid."

A part of Lina wanted to get furious at Ranma for treating her like a little girl, but she decided to strangle such impulses until she wasn't in danger of freezing to death. Besides Ranma, the only ones not suffering from this cold weather were Ryoga, who'd pulled out a set of warm clothing from that oversized backpack of his, and Zelgadis, whose Chimera nature made him, if not immune, then at least heavily resistant to the effects of adverse climates. Finally, just when they thought they were finished, they stumbled into a village; eagerly barging through the doorway Ranma led them to in order to bask in the warmth within.

They'd just started to exult in the regained ability to feel their extremities when they noticed the company they'd just barged in on. And they did not look pleased at their presence. Some thirty or so feral-looking wolf-Beastmen, about forty-five bow-carrying cloven-hoofed elf-women-things, two dozen twelve-foot tall creatures and eight giant hairy beasts. All of the motley monsters looked ready to spring into the attack, but Ranma's sudden appearance behind Ryoga and the Slayers initiated a lightning-quick reversal of demeanour for the creatures, which instantly calmed down and returned to… whatever it was they'd been doing before Ryoga and the Slayers had burst in on them.

The "humans", relatively speaking of course, blinked in confusion –except Ryoga- and then turned their questioning gaze to Ranma. Before they could ask their obvious question, Ryoga answered it for them.

"They obey him because they're his servants, they obey any command he gives them. If we're with him, we're okay. Of course, if he said we were his enemies, things would have gotten real messy, real quick."

"You do realise that, whilst they don't speak Japanese, they do understand it perfectly, don't you Ryoga?"

"What's Japanese?"

"The native language that Ryoga and I speak. Before you ask, I applied a translation spell to the both of us when we came to your world so that we would be able to understand your kind and communicate with you. Now, I'll have to reverse-engineer that spell so that you can understand us. But first I better go and summon Stormclaw back from your world; you stay here and keep warm."

They had no reasons to argue with Ranma's decisions, and any that might have arisen were killed off as Ranma left through the door back into the still-raging blizzard, releasing a surge of freezing wind into the room as he did so. Ryoga and the Slayers shivered and moved closer to the fire whilst doing their best to avoid shoving the other creatures in the chamber aside- though they did wonder why all the creatures were in this building. After a few minutes, Lina started getting bored. Looking around, she saw that some of the creatures had grouped together and were doing something involving cards; it looked like a poker game. She tugged on Ryoga's shirt to get his attention.

"Hey, can you ask them to let us in? It's gotta be better than just sitting around doing nothing."

It was several days later, and the Slayers and Ryoga were both getting restless. Ranma had spent the last few days reverse-engineering his translation spell to work for the Slayers and educating them as to the various differences between his world and theirs, and they were starting to get sick of the way he would constantly warn them to avoid drawing attention to themselves. This attitude began to seep into their unconscious body language, and Ranma couldn't help but notice it as he delivered one final lecture prior to the departure for Nerima.

"And remember, it wasn't too long ago when we used to burn people like you, so don't blow your cover! With all that said and done, let's go; a new world awaits you."

Ignoring the way the others gagged at that cheesy line, Ranma led them to his Altar, gesturing in the manner needed to activate the portal between Sliverspine Village and the Tendo Dojo before stepping into it.

Lina shook her head to clear her senses after the brutal assault they had been subjected to by using the portal. She couldn't exactly remember it, all she could remember was a brilliant white light and intense screaming winds, the two working together and intensifying until they filled the world and left her totally cut off from reality. Then, the sensations had faded away suddenly, leaving her floundering as the world surged back into being. Now she could finally see again, and she blinked at the unusual architecture as a young woman came out of the house, a strangely soothing smile on her lips. Somehow, her very presence filled Lina with a strange sense of peace, and it looked like she wasn't the only one.

"Why hello Ranma, who are your new friends?"

"Hi Kasumi, these are some people I met on my… training journey. This is Inverse Lina, Gabriev Gourry, Greywords Zelgadis, and Wil Tesla Saillune Amelia. Guys, this is Tendo Kasumi."

Lina wondered why he had introduced them family-name first, then shrugged it off as local custom and joined the others in greeting Kasumi. She began leading them into the house with the offer of some snacks, which helped cement her place in their hearts as a good person, when Ranma pulled a strange contraption from out of nowhere and pressed a hidden button on its edge. It opened up and outwards, making a faint clicking sound, and Ranma frowned slightly and tapped it gently with his fingers before closing it up, putting it away and giving a courteous bow to Kasumi.

"I'm sorry I have to leave again so soon, but I have a very important appointment elsewhere, and unlike Ryoga I can't afford to be late."

"Speaking of Ryoga, where is he? I thought he was bringing up the rear of the group when we came through the portal."

Ranma looked around in confusion at Zelgadis' question, and then shrugged, a sign of disinterest and nonchalance, before whispering an incantation and vanishing into thin air.

Though no one knew it, Ryoga was still in Sliverspine Village, and not because he'd gotten lost (for once). Ryoga had been fuming about Ranma taking back that Ultimate Annihilator Key ever since the act, and had done his best to try and discover where Ranma had hidden it ever since they'd gotten back to Sliverspine. Though he had yet to succeed, he had managed to find one artefact; a bizarre and very ornate sort of jar-thing. Hearing one of Ranma's minions entering, and remembering Ranma's anecdotes about Empyrean justice, Ryoga tucked the vase-thing into a subspace pocket and jumped at what he took to be a nearby window.

Once he recovered from driving himself headfirst into solid rock, he instead staggered over to a nearby door, which to his good fortune turned out to be an actual way out instead of a closet. Luck continued to favour him to the point that Ryoga actually managed to find his way out of Ranma's house without being caught stealing. In a mixed blessing, there was one of the wolf-creatures Ranma had called Frostwolves standing nearby, and Ryoga approached it -or rather her- to ask for directions.

"Ah… excuse me, miss? I meant to go back through the Altar with Ranma, but I kinda missed him leaving, Can you take me there?"

She looked him up and down a bit, visibly thought it over, and then nodded. She loped off towards the Altar, Ryoga trailing behind her and silently hoping he'd be able to figure out how to get back to Nerima.

Meanwhile, in place that was both closer to Dalara Peaks than the next heartbeat and yet further from it than the most distant star, the air was suddenly rent with a brilliant surge of light and noise as Ranma materialized about thirty feet above the ground, his elegant drop to its surface spoiled only by the way the boggy, tainted, rotten ground squelched underfoot, unleashing noxious vapours fragrant with rot, decay and putrescence. It was fortunate that Ranma coupled a will of star-forged steel with previous acclimatisation to the nature of Stygia, or else he may well have gagged on the fetid mists that had engulfed him. But even he found it an attractive notion to exit the cloud as quickly as possible and head for where the Other had told him to come.

Within minutes he stood before the place, pausing awhile to see the fruits of his other self's labour. In appearance, the Other's home resembled an old but still stately European manor. A tiny part of Ranma, deep inside his consciousness, wondered why he had not chosen to make his home to resemble a traditional Japanese mansion. But he dismissed the question as unimportant. As he walked up the creaking steps that led from the swamp-like ground to the house's porch, he stopped and turned at the sound of thunder; a storm was brewing and blowing towards the house, though he would be inside and, hopefully, away from the rain, which was likely to be either tainted and poisonous or completely disgusting, a rancid gruel of blood and pus and decaying meat, long before it started.

The door opened with a stereotypically ominous creaking, squeaking noise mere seconds before Ranma's hand touched the knob. Ignoring it as simply Stygian dramatics, Ranma walked down the long, dark, dusty hallways, admiring the numerous and random growths of slime-moulds and fungi that passed for interior decoration in Stygia, though he knew they also served more practical purposes that ranged from food-supplies to ready-made alchemical components to auto-defense systems. He dodged his head to one side as a giant moth whirred past and then lifted a foot as some sort of serpent-scorpion thing scuttled underfoot, the equivalent of household pets in this bizarre place.

But Ranma ignored them and walked on, down dark, moist corridors lit only by luminescent fungi, past shattered doorways with who-knew-what horrors lying beneath a concealing blanket of impenetrable shadows within, on and on he walked, devoid of concern; this house might be alien to him, but yet it was also home, the outcome of a path he hadn't walked, yet had. Finally, he reached the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

"And here he is. Didn't I tell you he'd come? We know myself. Gentlemen; the last of our number. We are complete."

Ranma grinned, and four perfectly identical grins returned it. He settled himself into an empty chair to take in the appearance of his "other selves".

The Necromancer was seated to his right, tongue occasionally slithering past his fangs to lap Skullbubbler from a tarnished gold goblet.

To the Necromancer's left was the Sorcerer version of himself. His differences were less noticeable than those of the Necromancer, consisting as they did of a slight flush to the skin and, more distinctly, red highlights to his black hair.

To Ranma's left was the Mystic, whose eyes were closed and who wore a strangely Kasumi-like grin. Of all the Ranmas, only the Mystic lacked the pigtail. Instead, his hair hung to shoulder length, with flowering vines tangled within it- in fact; the vines were actually sprouting from his head.

Finally, to the Sorcerer's right was the Geomancer; of them all, he looked the closest to Ranma, who actually couldn't see any differences between the two of them at first. Finally, Ranma realized that the Geomancer's frame was wirier than his own, tight cords of muscle and sinew plainly visible beneath his skin, flexing with every move he made.

Having discovered how to tell them all apart, Ranma opened his mouth to speak. And then closed it again; how the hell did you address someone when all five of you shared the same name? The Necromancer noticed his discomfiture and laughed.

"Yeah, it would be pretty confusing if we went by our real name; we'd never be able to figure out who was talking to who. So we came up with 'nicknames' or 'codenames' so we could have conversations without going insane. They call me Blight."

"Grit."

Commented the Geomancer, taking a swig from a tankard of Mountain's Blood, a rich, heady Glebian ale brewed from mushrooms.

"Sooth"

Said the Mystic, his eyes remaining fastened shut as he sipped delicately at a cup of some sort of Elysium wine that Ranma couldn't identify.

"Call me Cinder."

Replied the Sorcerer, his voice crackling and spitting like a blazing fire- though that may have been due to the large gulp of molten steel he'd just taken. Ranma thought quickly; what sort of name could he use? Seeing the way they looked at him, he shrugged and spat out the first thing that came to him.

"I guess you can call me… Storm?"

"It shall suffice. Now then, gentlemen, a toast."

"To the future, to the past, to the weave of time."

Ranma chanted along with the others; the words felt strangely comforting. Grit slid a glass of Liquid Lightning, a very expensive brand of Empyrean liquor, across the table to him. He clinked it against those of the others and drained it in a single gulp.

Meanwhile, in Nerima, Ryoga had been lucky enough to find that Ranma had apparently left the portal open- that, or teleporting between Altars was simply a matter of walking into the mana-stream- and was currently seated on the Tendo Dojo's living-room floor, trying to figure out how to unlock the jar-thing he'd stolen from Ranma's home in Sliverspine.

"Gah… stupid thing! How do you open this wretched piece of garbage?"

"Hey, pass it here, maybe I can get it open."

Ryoga, somewhat reluctantly, handed it over to Lina, who had been sitting close by and eating a snack laid out for her and the other Slayers by the ever-thoughtful Kasumi. For several long minutes, Lina examined every square inch of the vase's surface, her nimble fingers poking and prodding and prying until, finally, there was a sharp, hissing click and the seal at one end loosened, wisps of oily black smoke curling from the thin crack of an opening. Ryoga snatched it from Lina's grasp and savagely yanked it open, and then all was fire and thunder and screams…

Across the dimensional barrier, all five Ranmas suddenly screamed as a surge of some incredibly powerful unholy force washed through the very essence of their beings, agony like nothing they had ever experienced, pain so pure that even Blight could find no pleasure in it. Their glazed eyes met, five identical pain-wracked faces twisted in mutual agreement, and as one they disappeared, gone to find whatever it was that had assaulted them so. To find it, and to destroy it…

**_To Be Continued…_**

_Okay, okay, I know; a short chapter and a cliffhanger ending- not my usual style. I'm sorry, but I have a big fight scene intended for the next chapter and I need some input from you all before I can do it. Please answer any of the questions I have below that you feel like doing; remember that the more reviews you submit, the faster I get new chapters written and uploaded._

_1: Do you have any suggestions for new Spells/Mana/Hybrid Techniques for the Alternate Ranmas? Take a look at the "Style Descriptions" back in chapter #19 for inspiration; I'd do so myself, but I wrote the chapter and I'm still coming up blank._

_2: Can you give me suggestions for what weapons Cinder, Grit and Sooth's Soul Blade (from chapter #23) might form?_

_3: Are there any particular personality traits and/or habits you can suggest for the Alternate Ranmas? Just so I can make it easier to distinguish between them?_

_Okay, that's it. Please review; I can't do this without you!_


	25. Chapter 25

S .5 Part Twenty-Five 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** nice, very prompt responses and I've managed to glean quite a bit from your various reviews. Hopefully this won't be the chapter where my talent finally runs out. By the way, just so people can follow who's who, here's a list:

Elementalist Ranma (the original Ranma, as far as this story is concerned)- Storm

Mystic Ranma- Sooth

Sorcerer Ranma- Cinder

Necromancer Ranma- Blight

Geomancer Ranma- Grit

Part 24: Ranma Battle Royal

The five Ranmas simultaneously shook the glare of trans-dimensional travel from their eyes, and then their eyes widened in horror at the sight of Storm's Tendo Dojo, utterly torn apart.

"Whoa, this place got wrecked!"

Whistled Cinder.

"More so than usual you mean."

Said Grit. Sooth's eyes opened enough for him to throw a disapproving glare at the two of them as Storm dazedly picked his way through the debris of the first thing he had called home for a long time. The others trailed slightly behind him as he made his way into what was left of the living room, where he discovered someone who might be able to give him a clue slumped in the shadows.

"Nabiki! What happened here? Nabiki?"

Storm had barely enough time to register that "Nabiki" was covered in grotesque cancerous and tumorous growths before her eyes, glowing with feral rage and madness, shot open as she voiced an inhuman scream and lunged for him, actually managing to surprise him sufficiently that she could wind her arms around his neck. She hissed, baring unnaturally large fangs, before Storm hurled her through the wall with a kick to the gut. At roughly the same time, a similarly mutated Kasumi slipped from out of the kitchen behind Sooth, preparing to lodge a cleaver in his head. Sooth spun around and gestured, at which massive vines erupted from the floor and entangled the shrieking mutant.

The mutant Nabiki leapt back through the hole in the wall, only for Blight to launch a coruscating bolt of darkness that arced across her body, prompting an agonized screaming right before she exploded in a massive eruption of blood and liquidized flesh. Before the startled Ranmas could intervene, Blight lashed out at Kasumi, an orb of utter darkness hurtling through the air to engulf her before dissipating into nothingness, leaving nothing behind but Sooth's gently swaying vines, which retracted back into the shattered floor. Storm walked up to Blight and cautiously tapped the psychopathic Martial Mage on the shoulder.

"Okay, I'll admit I'm new to this group and all, but… what the hell was all that about! Why did you kill Kasumi? Oh, and Nabiki too, I guess."

"Relax, I didn't kill anyone."

"Um…"

"Those weren't humans, they were homunculi, created by the same creature that destroyed this place."

"And what was that?"

"A creature I never thought I'd actually see, a creature whispered of in the darkest corners of Stygia, a legacy of our ancient past that even we are too ashamed to admit to, a demonic beast known as an N'Kari; a Sineater."

Okay, firstly, what is a Sineater? Secondly, how the hell can you tell it was responsible?"

"To answer your last question first, all Necromancers have the innate ability to sense demonic energy; even though the Sineaters are now extinct, I can still recognise its taint from my studies of ancient Stygian lore; this place is practically drowning in the stuff. As to your first question…"

Blight sighed and settled himself into a seated position, the others joining him, as he told his tale.

"The Sineaters are, or rather were, a race of powerful demons, with which we Necromancers forged a pact of allegiance countless eons ago. Sineaters are abominations whose form consists of an immense shapeless mass of wet, bleeding flesh. They are conventionally mindless, the very embodiment of idiotic, malignant hunger, existing solely to consume all other lifeforms around them. A single Sineater could devour an entire army, and with their allegiance our powers grew great."

"Sounds like a very happy relationship. So what happened that made you break up?"

Blight threw a Dark Bolt, a blast of hate-charged ki and mana, at Sooth, but his heart clearly wasn't in it, given the way Sooth didn't even need to dodge it before it dissipated into thin air. Blight sat there, clearly deep in reminiscence, for several long minutes before finally speaking again.

"True, for a long time we were very pleased with our allegiance with the Sineaters, but after a time we began to worry. You see, Sineaters had an insatiable appetite for the flesh of others, and it was evident that, under the banners of our allegiance, they would soon devour all life in Otherworld. And that was when things broke down. After all, it life ceased to exist, who would there be left to torment? Whose suffering would we be able to feed upon? Not to mention the fact that, with only us remaining after the genocide was complete, how long would it take before the Sineaters decided to devour us? We had to get them before they got us."

Storm was about to ask if Blight really believed that to have been necessary, than remembered that, firstly, Blight was simply retelling the story and, secondly, he really did believe it to be necessary. Backstabbing treachery was a way of life amongst Necromancers; there was no such thing as paranoia in a civilisation where everyone really was out to get you. Ritually sacrificing lovers, murdering parents, devouring dead siblings, if committing such dark actions would serve their purpose, there was no depth to which a Necromancer wouldn't stoop. The question really wasn't why they'd turned on the Sineaters, but more why did it take so long for them to do so.

"The resultant battle was long and bloody, but in the end we wiped out the entire species. It was our first, and to date last, genocide."

"Just one question; if you Necromancers wiped them all out, what the hell happened to this place?"

"Legend has it that one Sineater survived, entrapped within a Soul Jar that was given to Charnel's most powerful servitor in case it ever became necessary to unleash such an abomination upon our enemies. Before you ask, in those far-off days it was none other than the Ragman who sat at Charnel's right hand, but the Soul Jar was supposedly lost when he was displaced by Acheron."

At this Storm's mind began working, clicking pieces into place, and he did not like the shape that was beginning to emerge. The discovery of a fragment of something that looked very much like that bizarre vase-thing he'd stolen from the Ragman's Citadel of Night and Bones practically clinched things. He quickly gathered up every fragment he could find before turning to show off his findings to Blight.

"This Soul Jar… it wouldn't happen to look anything like this, would it?"

Blight gently reached out and grasped the largest fragment between his index and middle fingers, carefully examining it before slowly nodding.

"This is indeed a Soul Jar- or rather, what's left of one. But how did this occur? Where did it come from?"

"I can answer that. You remember how me, my world's version of Ryoga and the Slayers went after an enemy who turned out to be the Ragman himself? Well, when you defeated him, I was currently looting the treasury; I saw the Soul Jar, thought it looked valuable, and swiped it. I didn't know what it was or else I would have left it where I found it."

"But how did it get here?"

"I'm not too sure, but I'm willing to bet it was Ryoga. I would have sworn he was following behind us when we returned to this world this morning, but he failed to rematerialize with us. I had my appointment to come meet all of you, so I didn't think too much about it; I presumed he'd gotten lost in Dalara Peaks and that I could find him easily enough when I went back there. But it looks like he not only managed to steal the Soul Jar from where I hid it and get here on his own, it looks like he also let the Sineater out!"

Storm's face twisted in fury and hate, as did those of the others, all except for Sooth and Blight. Sooth remained as calm and emotionless as always, while Blight simply looked distracted.

"It doesn't matter if he did; he wouldn't have profited from his actions, unless you count being the first absorbed profitable. But, regardless of how much he may have deserved it, we will have to find the Sineater. If we don't, it will devour all life on this world, and then it will spore. We don't want that to happen, trust me on that."

"Just one question; how the heck did we feel it when that monster got released anyway?"

"Well, we can thank Storm for that."

"Come again?"

"Have you noticed his Altar? Clearly it was damaged when the Sineater broke loose, and you know how closely a Mage and his Altar are tied together. With all of us in the same room as him, it is hardly unusual that the virtually identical resonation of our souls caused us to share his agony. Now come on! We don't have time to stand around chattering! If we can slay the Sineater quickly enough, then we'll be able to save the unfortunate fools that it devoured. I suggest we save our mana; with no Manaliths or Manahoars in this world we can quickly drain ourselves. Stick to martial arts and the occasional Hybrid Technique."

The Ranmas nodded as one and split up, mutually agreeing to contact each other via the Mage's Call. Before they lost sight of each other, Blight called out a final warning.

"By the way, Sineaters can create homunculi using creatures they have absorbed but haven't yet completely digested, so watch out! They retain all of their original capabilities but are mindless killing machines."

Cinder stalked eagerly through the streets. Which streets he wasn't too sure; all of the street signs had been ripped out of the ground –it went surprisingly well with the "smashed windows and gutted buildings" look-, but it didn't matter to him. Very little did actually matter to him; even this Sineater creature he was chasing wasn't that important, as far as he was concerned. All that mattered to him was that he would have the chance to burn something, and soon. As he practically bounced along his eyes darted ceaseless from one dark spot to another, hoping, praying that some sort of abomination would be foolish enough to poke its head out so he could blow it off. A sudden low growl from behind him was enough to spin him around with a vicious grin engraved upon his face, but there was no one there.

And that was when the wrecked car he had been facing just moments ago suddenly began to writhe and shift into a warped creation of metal, flesh and bone, the exact composition of its frame constantly shifting. Great, pus-oozing tentacles of tumorous flesh erupted from its sides as its hood gaped to reveal a pustulant void lined with fangs of bone and steel. Venting a sound somewhere between a honk and a scream it lunged forward in an attempt to snatch Cinder in its deformed jaws. Cinder heaved a sigh of boredom and casually lobbed a Firebomb, a small globe of fire mana and hot ki, into the beast's throat, whereupon it detonated with sufficient fury to blast the creature into writhing scraps. Feeling cheated, Cinder continued onwards.

Elsewhere, Sooth was facing down a horde of mutants that had evidentially been based upon the "normal" denizens of Nerima. His demeanour still inscrutable, he lashed out with his hands, sending a barrage of small but powerful ki bolts scything into the ranks of his foes. Though they killed several and maimed many, still his opponents came on.

"Back to the pits that spawned you, foul abominations!"

Manifesting his Soul Blade, a glaive ornately engraven with an ever-shifting pattern of vines and flowers, Sooth launched himself into the ranks of his foes. Despite their numbers they couldn't even lay so much as a hand upon him as he swung and twirled his blade in a strangely dance-like rhythm, lopping limbs, slicing heads from shoulders and cleaving torsos in twain with such strength and precision that his foes actually looked uninjured- well, until they twitched and the severed member slid from its original joint to land on the floor with a soft, wet 'splat'. Soon Sooth stood alone amidst a pile of carved corpses, eyes darting back and forth in search of new victims.

"Justice is swift and final, for I am Its right hand!"

Though a cursory examination by anyone else would have revealed Sooth to still be firmly encased in his enigmatic and emotionless demeanour, another Ranma would have easily been able to see the cracks in his facade through which his inner fury was leaking to the surface. Behind Sooth, a mutant that had managed to survive the maelstrom of mincing blows stood up and tried to sneak away. A futile effort as Sooth, without even looking, stabbed backwards over his shoulder to impale it dead in the back of its skull with a sickening crunch. He jerked his glaive free with a moist 'schlurp' and the corpse collapsed bonelessly to the floor. Without so much as a cursory glance behind himself, Sooth walked onwards.

Grit himself was also wielding his Soul Blade; a greataxe crafted entirely from rock, with shifting veins of magical metals running through it. Though martial artists traditionally considered axes very crude and ineffective weapons, as far as Grit was concerned there was a strange elegance to their simplistically brutal method of use. It took virtually none of his strength to propel it through the air, and anything in its path was rent asunder by not only the cut of its edge but also by the sheer weight of the weapon. Absorbed in rhythm of its swings, Grit had actually forgotten the fact mutant monsters surrounded him.

Or at least they had surrounded him. When the Soul Blade began to produce a high-pitched whistling instead of the familiar deep sounds of bones crunching and flesh tearing, Grit finally snapped out of his trance to realize he had slaughtered every last enemy that had been standing before. Grateful that no one had been around to witness him lose track of himself, Grit quickly headed away from the scene of the carnage. After all, this might not be his world, but he still had to help Storm track down this Sineater beast and kill it. If only to keep the abhorrent freak from spawning and then bringing its deviant offspring to make a meal out of his world.

Of all the Ranmas, Blight felt that he was getting the closest to the Sineater. Precisely how he knew he was getting close was anyone's guess. It could have been mage's intuition; it could have been that strange tracking instinct all Nerima's martial artists seemed to develop. Then again, it might have been due to the fact that the mutated versions of the Slayers and the Nerima Wrecking Crew were currently trying to block him off. Blight brandished his Soul Blade in a menacing manner and waited to see who would make the first move.

The copy-Ryoga, his looks –in Blight's opinion- neither improved nor harmed by the pus-oozing scab-like growth that had swallowed about two-thirds of his face, sneered and made a "come on" gesture at Blight.

"Come on Ranma, you've never hesitated to fight us before, so why the delay now? We promise you, it'll be quick and painless, especially if you just surrender."

Surrender. The very word made Blight's ichor curdle in his black veins, but to attack these fools in the melee would simply slow him down, and he couldn't afford the delay at this point in time. Though he had told the others to avoid spending their mana unnecessarily, this was just such a situation where the expenditure was worth it. Calmly he recited the incantation to perhaps the most powerful spell of all in Necromancy; the Death spell. His opponents, unaware of their forthcoming doom, snickered amongst themselves at his actions.

"Praying? It is too late for that foul sorcerer, now I, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, shall smite you once and for all!"

"You'll have to smite him first."

The copy-Kuno blinked in confusion at Blight's retort, his question dying unspoken upon his lips as the Reaver of Souls summoned by Blight's spell drew back its great, scythe blade-like upper limbs and slashed downwards, severing the moronic mutant cleanly in half. Instant pandemonium erupted amongst the pseudo-warriors as the towering, shadowy behemoth casually threshed its way through their ranks. Every blow and spell they used to try and wound the beast passed futilely through its insubstantial form, whilst each of its own casual swings resulted in another dead mutant. When the last of them fell Blight and the Reaver politely bowed to each other before the Reaver faded back through a void in reality.

As he darted past the wrecked buildings and the moaning hordes of mutants, Storm's frustration began to grow, both with Ryoga and with the Sineater. His anger at Ryoga was due to the simple reason this was all Ryoga's fault; after all, Storm never gave the Soul Jar to him, now did he? He was the one who was responsible for unleashing this horror, not Storm! As Storm jumped lightly from shattered rooftop to shattered rooftop, taking care to avoid the twisted homunculi stalking the streets, his anger at the Sineater for what it had done intensified. He was really getting sick of all this pointless wandering.

"Oh come on! Where is the blasted thing?"

And that was when Blight's telepathic call reverberated inside Storm's head. Storm grinned -finally, a chance to take revenge on the monstrosity responsible for all of this- and headed towards the source of the call at his top speed, undoubting that the other Ranmas were also converging on that point. In less than a minute he had reached his destination. And that was when he saw it. The Sineater. Blight had failed to even begin to describe the beast, but Storm truly doubted that it was possible to describe the nightmarish monstrosity that squirmed and slithered and writhed in the crater-like "nest" it had wrought for itself below his position with mere words.

It was an aberrant, inhuman horror, an amorphous antediluvian torn from some unknown and clearly forsaken pit outside of time and space. It heaved its gross, glutinous bulk in insane ways, somehow emitting insane gibbering and hellish gnashing despite its lack of anything even remotely resembling a mouth. For a moment that seemed to stretch for an eternity, Storm could not bring himself to do anything but stare in appalled fascination at the cancerous, obscene beast, his inhuman senses revealing to him that his fellow Ranmas had arrived and were also paralyzed with repugnance. All but for the exception of one- Blight. He was actually down in the street and facing the abomination!

As Storm continued to watch, protrusions erupted from the Sineater's putrid mass, a mixture of distorted fingers the size of human torsos and malformed limbs, all seeking to encircle and grapple Blight, who retaliated with a flourish of his Soul Blade that cleaved effortlessly through the pustulant pseudopods. Unfortunately he was unable to hack the leprous protrusions clear of the central mass faster than the Sineater could spawn them, and before the others horrified eyes he was first surrounded and then engulfed by the hellish beast.

That was the action that finally shook the other Ranmas from their stupor, and as one they hurtled into the arena just as the pulsating globe of misbegotten flesh that marked where one of their own had been standing mere moments before suddenly erupted with black arc-shaped blurs. Less than a heartbeat later, the unclean mass came apart in a gory shower of putrid fluids and jelly-like chunks of flesh, revealing Blight standing there, unbowed and unharmed, drenched in unspeakable substances but still glaring hatred and defiance at the Sineater, kamas clutched in hands. As the severed pieces liquefied on the ground the Sineater voiced an enraged scream.

Storm was more than eager to fight the Sineater for the destruction it had inflicted upon Nerima, and he coupled this with a fervent desire to make this "thing that should not be" cease to "be". He smashed and pounded upon the thing's flesh with all his strength and skill, blows that would have crushed an ordinary human to pulp and that would have torn the life even from one of his old rivals. Despite this, all the efforts of both himself and his companions succeeded in achieving was to prompt maddening screams from the beast, the bruised, mangled flesh they left behind simply swallowed by its absurd physiology.

It retaliated with its own "fists", grotesque lumps that erupted from its seething form in a blind, idiotic attempt to strike at its antagonists. The Ranmas dodged this pitiful attack but then leapt backwards as the Sineater reared upwards and slammed down in an attempt to crush them under its fetid bulk. They converged at a relatively "safe" distance from the abomination, watching as it blindly groped for them.

"How the heck do you stop this thing? It shrugs off every attack we make!"

"Sineaters are virtually indestructible; gorged as this one is on the innocent people of this city, I doubt that even we could defeat it in mortal combat."

"So what, you're saying that it's hopeless? That we should just give up?"

"I never said that. There is a spell that we Necromancers know of, a spell specifically designed to kill these monstrosities. Most have forgotten it, but I have made a habit of acquiring and learning every single obscure, ancient or just plain dismissed piece of magical lore I can get my claws on, just in case they ever turn out useful."

"So what are you waiting for maggot-brains? Make with the mojo already!"

"It's not quite that simple. The spell takes some time to cast and requires a vast amount of mana to be cast, more than I had even when I was full."

"What do you mean by 'when you were full'?"

"I… uh, kinda ran into a problem and, well, I used a spell to fix things. But don't give up! If Storm, Sooth and Cinder all give me their mana, and the four of you work to hold off that thing while I work the spell, I can give it the once-and-for-all!"

"Why us three? Why not Grit as well?"

"Because just the three of you, in conjunction with what's left of my reserves, will be sufficient to get the job done. Plus, Grit has a special technique that just might keep that thing back long enough for this to work, but he needs his mana to pull it off. So are you with me?"

Throughout the conversation the quintet had been leaping from position to position to avoid the clumsy flailing of the Sineater. As one they leapt with all their might from their latest position, leaving the Sineater to crush the building where they had been standing as they landed several blocks away. Storm, Cinder, Grit and Sooth nodded their agreement, at which Blight reached out to them in turn and touched them on the forehead, gently but rapidly draining them of their mana. Storm, Sooth and Cinder shook their heads to clear the disorientation the draining produced, then turned and hurtled towards the Sineater as it slithered towards them, attacking with all of their strength and savagery. Of course, Grit's non-participation did not go unnoticed.

"What the hell is he doing?"

"His technique; watch!"

As Storm did his best to both pound on the Sineater's groping tentacles ("HEY! Watch where you're putting those things buddy!") and watch Grit do whatever it was he was going to do, Grit's face shifted in an expression of intense concentration. Before Storm's distracted eyes, Grit glowed with intense power, ki and mana merging into a single energy… and then the glow faded, cracks ran up his body and Grit literally crumbled into dust. Storm blinked, dodging an attack from the Sineater, and partially turned to Cinder.

"Some technique."

And that was when the ground began to shake and heave, massive fissures opening as the earth began to surge upwards as though something was forcing its way to the surface from deep beneath. Storm was distracted by the need to keep the Sineater from engulfing him, but he was able to see that an incredibly massive form was literally emerging from the earth. Up, up and up it towered, human only by the broadest definition of the term, until its chin easily cleared the top of the tallest nearby buildings.

The nearby rubble was being drawn to the thing, absorbed into its mass to facilitate its growing bulk. The creature continued to grow, until finally it stood there, a vaguely humanoid figure composed entirely of rock and soil and rubble, towering above the tallest buildings. It glared at the Sineater and voiced a thunderous screaming roar before lowering its head and charging. The three Ranmas currently beating on it quickly got out of the way as the massive rock-monster slammed into the Sineater with unmeasurable force.

The Sineater retaliated by lashing out with its tentacles and grappling the rock-creature, writhing in a vaguely serpentine manner as it tried to drag the rock-creature to the ground and crush it. Fortunately, the creature was too strong for the Sineater to triumph, but on the other hand it didn't seem to be able to inflict much damage on the Sineater's amorphous form. Storm wasn't stupid enough to even think about interfering with this "battle of the titans", so he settled for standing back and watching as they wrestled, destroying everything around them as the did so.

And now was when he became away of the unearthly glowing emanating from behind him, He half-turned to see its source; Blight. Now, Storm was rather familiar with Necromancy; he had spent quite a lot of time at Bleak Marsh after all, but he'd always known, deep in the pits of his heart, that he could never truly understand Necromancers, or their methods of magic. Blight was chanting an incantation in a language that Storm couldn't recognize; it wasn't Low Stygian, or even High Stygian, widely reviled by non-Stygians as a tongue of evil and torment.

Now, that was technically true, as High Stygian was a mish-mash of the various Infernal, Abyssal, Demonic and Diabolic tongues that Necromancers knew, but it paled in comparison to this language. Even though he couldn't understand, the language sent shivers of fear and repulsion down Storm's spine, and he knew, instinctively, that if he had been able to comprehend what Blight was saying he would have been driven utterly insane. Blight continued the incantation, sounds that no human should have been able to produce tearing from his tortured throat, his body beginning to warp and distort from the sheer quantity of tainted mana coursing through it.

Storm looked back and forth between Blight and the wrestling monsters as Blight's voice grew louder and louder until he was practically screaming at the top of his lungs; the rock-creature, evidentially Grit, seemed to be tiring, and he wouldn't be too surprised if the spell Blight was casting would turn out to be too much for him to handle, resulting in Blight's tortured –and extremely messy- death. Blight's body began to twist into unnatural contortions, the flesh drawing so tightly across his bones that it could tear apart. As the thought occurred to him, it happened, great gashes and rents opened up in Blight's flesh, the white gleam of bone plainly visible through sluggishly oozing black blood.

Blight suddenly threw back his head in a wordless scream; twin blazes of mystical energy erupting from his eyes. His head fell forward as though his neck had been broken, then he slowly raised it to glare at the Sineater, eyes still glowing as he spoke in an inhuman voice.

"Thine time is come and gone oh foul one, thou art the last of thy fell breed. The stars are no longer right and never shall be again. The death that thou hast avoided for so long at last has come to claim thee. Now perish abomination! From hell's heart I stab at thee, for hate's sake I spit at thee, thou shalt defile this land no longer!"

As Storm blinked at that absurd speech, Blight's jaw suddenly dropped, distending to an extent the human jaw was simply not meant to. Storm winced at the sound of bones audibly snapping, but was distracted by the blast of actinic light, a hellish crimson in colour, that suddenly surged up Blight's throat and roared through the air to impact directly upon the Sineater's coiling, twisting form. The Sineater screamed, hurling Grit away as the energy greedily began to devour its twisted form. The Sineater writhed and seethed uncontrollably, the energy surrounding it growing brighter and brighter in intensity until none of the Ranmas could bear to look at it.

The air was filled with crimson light and the maddening sounds of the Sineater screaming, the cacophony continued for several minutes until the Ranmas thought they were going to go insane- well, except Blight. He was already insane. But just when they were about to begin screaming themselves, the light and the noise dissipated. Storm blinked at the glaring absence where the Sineater had been and then turned to the other Ranmas, who each shrugged in turn. They then became aware of a soft 'thump' as Blight fainted, falling to the ground unconscious as ichor poured from his wounds.

Grit wrapped his rock-body's arms around itself and began to glow; he then threw them out and exploded in a massive flash of brilliant light. When it faded Grit was human once again, whilst all the damage that both he and the Sineater had caused had been repaired. He quickly hurried over to the unconscious Blight and used the last of his mana to restore Blight to full health and consciousness. Storm looked at their surroundings.

"Were we… too late?"

"No. With the Sineater destroyed, all the souls it absorbed will have been released and rematerialized at the spot where they were taken. We have only one problem now."

"What's that?"

"We're all completely drained of mana, and without our Manahoars I'm afraid we'll need to impose on your hospitality for a while. Once we've absorbed sufficient mana from you, we'll be able to return to our own dimensions. I trust you don't mind?"

"Well… I'll let you stay, but only on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You come with me to the Tendo Dojo and give me a… 'hand', with Ryoga."

"Is that all? It'd be a pleasure."

Blight smirked, slowly and deliberately running his mutilated tongue over his fangs as the other Ranmas nodded in agreement. Rising to their feet, the group casually headed 'home', uncaring of the disbelieving looks being thrown their way by the recently restored residents of Nerima.

_You don't need to point it out, I know, I stink at writing battle scenes. Ah well. If you think I should stop now, that's alright; 25 chapters is a pretty good run, and way better than I ever thought I'd do. But if you want me to continue, then please make suggestions; the more suggestion I get, the more inspiration I have. I'm not guaranteeing that your ideas will be used, nor am I asking you to tell me what to write, I'm just saying that your input helps me to keep this story going. Anyway, who thinks Ryoga's in for a nasty surprise?_


	26. Chapter 26

S .5 Part Twenty-Six 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** whoa, okay, struck a nerve with the endnotes to that last chapter. Don't worry; so long as you all keep reviewing like that, I'll keep writing this. One of you did suggest I make this the last chapter though. Oh, and I know I probably shouldn't ask this, but I'd really like to see artwork based on this story. I know it's an impossibility… but it never hurts to ask, right? I'd do it myself, but I posses neither tools nor talent.

Part 25: New Houseguests

The Ranmas silently slipped over the walls into the garden of the Tendo Dojo, waiting for the right moment to strike. They didn't have to wait long before Ryoga emerged from the house, clutching his head as though he had a splitting headache. And if that weren't the case, then he'd soon add it to whatever his problem was. As one they leapt to stand behind him.

Storm tapped Ryoga on the shoulder and, the second he turned around, savagely punched him in the face. Not at full strength, even in his weakened condition that would have probably torn Ryoga's head from his shoulders, but with sufficient force to hurl Ryoga into the wall and produce a spurt of blood from his nostrils. Ryoga shook the impact daze from his skull and gingerly lifted a hand to his bleeding nose. He stared at the crimson smear on his hand in disbelief and then turned his head towards Storm, somehow failing to see the other Ranmas standing behind him.

"What the hell was that for?"

"It's better than you deserve you miserable bastard! I teach you a cure, I train you in the Saotome Anything-Goes style, I willingly reveal secrets of the arcane to you that I never would have done for anyone else and how do you repay me? You steal from me! And by doing so, you almost got everyone here killed! But I'm not going to get revenge on you."

Ryoga blinked at that, but couldn't help giving a sigh of relief. Storm noticed this and smirked grimly, gesturing towards the other Ranmas to step forward. They did so and grinned menacingly as they cracked their knuckles in perfect synchronicity, Ryoga staring at them and barely listening as Storm continued.

"I'm not going to get revenge because I have other things to attend to. However, I think it's time all of you got acquainted. Boys? Oh, and keep the property damage down; this place gets wrecked enough as it is."

Storm turned and entered the house as the sounds of a brutal beating began emanating from behind him. He had to see if everyone was all right, and then he had to try and break it to them that there was going to be four more versions of him staying for a while. He whistled a special tone and his Manahoars raced from wherever they had been to cluster around him. He spent several minutes calming the traumatized creatures, which evidentially remembered exactly what had happened with perfect clarity. Once they had settled down and delivered their entire stock of mana into Storm, he then went in search of the other "housemates". He found them all gathered together in a confused state in the dojo.

"Looks like I succeeded in time; you're all still alive."

"What are you talking about? What happened?"

Asked Lina, grimacing as she rubbed her head.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Well, Ryoga yanking the lid off that jar and… something came out. I tried to blast it with a spell, but my magic wouldn't work, just like you warned me. It lunged for me and… that's all I can remember."

"Let me guess, all of you have similar stories?"

The Tendos, Genma and the other Slayers nodded.

"It was Ryoga's fault; he stole that jar from me in the first place. I didn't know it was a Soul Jar or that there was a monster inside. Long story short, he released the monster, the monster absorbed you all, and most of the city, but I destroyed it and freed you."

He could see that they were plainly having a hard time coming to terms with that information. Lina glanced first at Gourry, then at Amelia and finally at Zelgadis, after which the four of them nodded in unison before Lina returned her attention to Storm.

"Listen, we don't want to sound ungrateful or anything, but… can you send us back?"

"What? Why?"

"It's nothing personal, really, but frankly we can't really handle this world of yours. Especially with our magic not working. I mean, there was this lunatic in baggy blue clothing running around bare-footed and carrying a wooden sword. He saw Miss Lina and charged her, shouting something about dating her. Luckily Gourry was there; he sliced the maniac's sword into toothpicks then knocked him unconscious with the hilt."

Said Amelia. Storm twitched as he realised precisely who had been stupid enough to accost Lina. If that was the sort of experience they'd had in Nerima, coupled with being attacked by the Sineater, then he wasn't surprised that they wanted to go back home. Truth be told, it wasn't exactly upsetting; he had no idea why they wanted to come here in the first place. With them gone, it would be a lot less hassle to try and put his "Others" up for a while as they drew mana from him to recharge their own reserves. He nodded to himself.

"I can't say I blame you for wanting to leave. I'll send you back."

He quickly and quietly invoked a spell and opened a shimmering portal. The Slayers, with only the slightest hesitation, walked through, all except for Zelgadis, whose shoulder Storm grabbed before he could enter the portal.

"Wait just one moment before you go. I'm sorry about Jusenkyo, but there might still be a cure waiting for you somewhere, so don't give up hope. Even if you find nothing, there are those who care for you despite your curse. Like a certain princess, hmm?"

Zelgadis flushed at Storm's suggestion.

"I'm not, I mean, she's not, we're not…"

"Save it. I'm the one with three fiancées, remember? All I'm saying is don't keep her waiting for too long, all right? Now git outta here."

Storm gave Zelgadis a friendly slap on the back, delivering it with sufficient force to make the Chimera stagger, and Zelgadis quickly stepped through the portal, which closed behind him. Storm dusted his hands and turned to meet the curious gazes of the Tendos and his father, who hadn't been able to hear his conversation. As he wondered how he was going to break the subject of his "guests" the sound of fighting began to draw nearer. He partially turned towards the wall, a scowl growing on his face.

_Oh no, they wouldn't…._

They would and they did. The clamour of battle grew louder as it drew closer, culminating in a badly beaten Ryoga smashing through the wall to land flat on his face on the floor. Blight jumped after him with a snarl, landing flat atop Ryoga's back with his arm sneaking around to grasp his front in a strangely Glomp-like manoeuvre. Of course, the way he sunk his fangs into the gap between Ryoga's right shoulder and his neck, drawing blood and a scream of pain, was far from romantic or friendly.

The other Ranmas quickly rushed into the room and pulled the snarling Blight off the screaming Ryoga, at which Storm darted forward to heal the bite; he might be angry with Ryoga, but he didn't want the Eternally Lost Boy dead! Ryoga promptly fainted from a mixture of pain, relief and blood loss, at which Storm glared at the other Ranmas, all of whom looked sheepish, the sole exception being Blight, who simply began licking the blood from his chin. None of them paid any attention to the expressions of Genma and the Tendos, which (except for Kasumi) mixed shock, horror, confusion and fascination.

"You do realise that you are going to fix that damage, don't you? And what the heck where you thinking Blight? I wanted him punished, not dead!"

Blight pulled himself free of the others' slackened grips and licked the last drop of crimson from his chin before shrugging.

"So I got a little carried away. What's the problem? He's still alive and he has all his important parts. Speaking of which, I guess I'd better finish the punishment."

Blight started towards Ryoga, only to have Storm intercept him.

"Wait just one moment; what do you plan to do to him?"

"Well, initially, I intended to show off my torturing skills, I had a whole routine planned out but, well, I had to cancel it. Just as well; where am I going to get a bucket of soapy frogs, a skin-diving suit or a rampant wildebeest around here? Then I figured I might as well give him the Hope Shattering Claw Strike and put an end to his aggravation."

"Hope Shattering Claw Strike?"

Storm did not like the sound of that. He liked the way that Blight grinned even less.

"A special Ki Technique of my own design, the Hope Shattering Claw Strike lances the user's ki into the victim's body and directly targets their ki 'veins', ravaging the natural pathways and passages through which the body's ki flows, the very source of a martial artist's powers. Essentially, it erases the victim's martial arts prowess, and the effect is permanent. Once they've been subject to the Hope Shattering Claw Strike, your opponent will never be able to use martial arts again. It's the very technique I used against my world's version of Akane…"

Blight trailed off, lost in his memories as all of the martial artists present shuddered at the very thought of such an attack; to them, that would be a fate worse than death. Storm forced himself to concentrate on his current situation as Blight came out of his reminiscence.

"Forget it, I want Ryoga to be punished, but not that much. I think you've done enough to him now anyway; I doubt he'll try something like that again."

"Very well, as you wish."

Storm relaxed as Blight sauntered past him to where Ryoga was finally regaining consciousness. His face contorted in a malicious grin, Blight deliberately held his right hand out with the fingers splayed in a strange pattern. In the still silence of the dojo, it was possible to hear it as five serrated, blade-like growths of bone slipped through the flesh of his fingers to a length of about five-six inches. He bent over impossibly at the waist so that his upper body was looming bare inches over Ryoga's, and then slid the tips his newly spouted claws with surprising gentleness over the exposed flesh of Ryoga's face and neck, each talon leaving a trail of blood behind it. Ryoga, who was by now fully awake, blinked in confusion but didn't dare move.

"Look's like your ass is safe. For now. Just remember pig-boy; I'm watching you. Screw up like that again, and I get me a new leather jacket. And a gourmet meal too."

Nobody but Cinder, Grit and Sooth understood what Blight was talking about, though his next actions spelled it out. Blight's mutilated tongue slithered out past his sneering lips and gently brushed away the faint trickles of blood his claws had left behind. Ryoga stared at Blight in mingled fear and disgust as Blight straightened himself and laughed.

"Ah yes, properly seasoned you will make a truly handsome dish."

"I'm not edible!"

"Oh, you're not a full meal, certainly, I never claimed that, but you'll make a decent light snack. In fact, maybe I'll take a piece or two from you now… which arm, eye and organs will you miss least?"

Ryoga's eyes bulged, as did those of the non-Ranmas, as Blight drew a large, heavily stained and very sharp looking knife from subspace and began sharpening it against his claws. The instant Blight drew it back as though he truly intended to sever one of Ryoga's limbs, Ryoga darted to his feet and fled out the exact hole he had made when the other Ranmas had thrown him through the wall. Blight's face took on a sulky, disappointed expression and he placed the knife back in subspace and retracted his claws. The other Ranmas marvelled that Ryoga had actually managed to find his way on the very first try.

Soun Tendo tentatively took several steps forward and then spoke in a tremulous voice.

"Uh… Ranma?"

"Yes?"

Five perfectly identical voices responded and five equally identical faces turned towards him, both in perfect synchronicity, as Soun suddenly wondered about whether that had been such a bright move. As he watched they turned to each other in confusion, one of them speaking up.

"I think he was talking to me."

"Why you? He might have been talking to me."

"What's to say he wasn't talking to me?"

"Or me?"

"He obviously didn't want to talk to you Blight."

"Oh like you're any better a candidate Sooth."

"Stop it, all of you! He clearly meant me because this is my world of origin. And speaking of which, thanks a lot for barging in. I was just trying to work out how to explain you all to them and then you come charging through the wall before I could start."

By now Soun and the other non-Ranmas were completely confused. As they watched, the Ranmas seemed to realise that they had an audience, and all of them bar Blight turned towards Soun and the others with identical sheepish grins (Blight did so with a smirk) and rubbed the back of their heads in embarrassment.

"I expect you're wondering what's going on?"

If he hadn't been so unnerved by what he'd seen mere moments ago, Soun would have rolled his eyes sarcastically as he nodded, and he was sure the same applied for Genma and his daughters.

"Well, to cut a long story short, these are the people who I went to meet earlier. They are my parallel selves, alternate versions of me who took… shall we say, a different path in life? Basically, we're all Ranma Saotome, but we're also all different."

Soun didn't really understand what Ranma was talking about, but decided to nod and fake it. Ranma clearly caught his unspoken question though.

"We each use… well, I guess you could call them codenames, to differentiate between ourselves. Because I am an Elementalist, a master of the heavens, they call me Storm."

The Ranma who had threatened to skin and eat Ryoga took a step forward, baring claws from both his hands as his clothing took on the blackish-red of something steeped in dried gore. He grinned a menacing grin.

"I am Blight, a Necromancer. Suffering and fear are my meat and drink, stand against me and you will regret it."

Another Ranma, this one with red highlights to his hair, stepped forward, strangely technological bracers of glass and metal materializing around his wrists.

"Cinder is my name, burning my foes to ash with Sorcery is my game."

Another Ranma, this one lacking a pigtail and with his eyes kept closed, introduced himself. Strangely, no new clothing materialized for this one, though his hairstyle would be enough to tell him apart anyway.

"I am Sooth, a Mystic. Blessings upon you all."

Strangely, the Tendos and Genma felt a feeling of warmth and comfort infuse their beings at Sooth's words. A well-worn bandanna materializing around his neck, the final Ranma introduced himself.

"They call me Grit, and I'm a Geomancer."

"I see… Well then, Ranma- our Ranma, I mean. What are they all doing here?"

"You remember how I left a while ago to take care of some business? Well, I had been summoned to a meeting with these guys. When Ryoga unleashed that monster- and don't ask how I knew, because I don't really know myself- they insisted on coming with me to face it. Unfortunately, they've exhausted their powers and they'll have to stay here for a while."

"Well, not that long, all we need to do is draw strength from Storm here and we'll be out of your hair. So to speak."

Cinder smirked at Genma as he said this, his very posture daring Genma to retaliate. Genma wasn't that stupid; he knew, even if he wouldn't admit it, that he couldn't beat one Ranma, so he didn't stand a snowball in hell's chance against five of them. Storm looked apprehensive, something that the other Ranmas quickly noticed.

"Something wrong Storm?"

"Well, about that mana … I can't give you any."

"What!"

"I only just found out for myself; with my Altar damaged, I'm barely getting a trickle of power from Dalara Peaks. I've completely drained the stockpile of energy from my Manahoars and I spent most of it sending the Slayers back to their world. I have enough power left to send one of you back, but the rest of you will be stuck here until I repair my Altar."

The other Ranmas blinked, looked Storm, looked at each other, looked back at Storm and then looked at each other again. Immediately, Grit and Sooth stepped back as Blight and Cinder began arguing about which of them should be the one to get sent back first. Storm just blinked in confusion as Blight and Cinder's argument quickly degenerated into a free-for-all before turning his attention to Grit and Sooth.

"Is there any particular reason why you two aren't taking part in that?"

"Yep; we don't care if we have to stay here a while, we don't have any important business to attend to, not like them."

Storm didn't really understand what they were talking about, but decided not to let them know that and simply watch the fight, which was turning pretty nasty. Cinder managed to trap Blight's left arm in an arm-lock behind his back, but the Necromancer simply snarled with fury and spun around, heedless of the fact that by doing so he practically tore his trapped arm out of its socket, and clawed furiously at the Sorcerer's face with fangs and the claws of his good arm, succeeding in startling Cinder bad enough he released Blight. The fact Blight managed to bite off one of Cinder's ears and swallow it like a candy treat may have had something to do with securing his release.

Storm watched the brutal battle, heedless of the presence of his father and the Tendos, with growing trepidation; was he going to have to get himself involved in that? After all, he really didn't want to have to get involved in something like that (he pointedly ignored the fact he'd been in worse since he'd first been sent to Otherworld). As he started preparing himself to plunge into the unholy melee it began to die down, the two Ranmas glaring hatred and defiance at each other, blood pouring from their wounds, as they ceased their battle. Their gazes were held with unrelenting will even after their bodies ceased their savage dance, but finally their eyes softened and turned away from each other.

"So then, it is agreed?"

Said Cinder, his complexion more flushed than usual with triumph, and quite unnaturally so given the amount of blood flowing from the ragged tear where his ear had been. But then again, head wounds did bleed pretty badly, usually far worse than the actual damage inflicted. Blight scowled, his eyes still turned away from Cinder's, but nodded.

"Fine. I guess I can study for my Narco-Alchemy exam here."

He grit the words out from between his teeth and Cinder grinned in triumph, his chest swelling with pride as he haughtily walked over to Storm, heedless of his injuries.

"Well, you heard the freak; hit me with mojo. Come on! I have a production deadline to meet!"

Storm didn't understand what had just happened, but decided to spare his sanity and not bother trying to unravel it. Instead, he simply settled for transferring the mana from his badly depleted reserves into the Sorcerer, who wasted no time in teleporting back to his own dimension. Not really wanting to talk about matters that were, in his opinion, no concern of theirs, he brushed off the queries of his father and the Tendos and told them to talk to the other Ranmas. Though they weren't foolish enough to question Blight, who stalked off to the living room muttering something about studying, they wasted no time in beginning their interrogation of Sooth and Grit while Storm went and started working on his Altar.

Once the initial excitement was over, things got surprisingly quiet. Grit and Sooth managed to chase off Genma and the Tendo's curiosity through a mixture of misdirected questions, half-truths and veiled threats. Storm spent the day working on the badly twisted and cracked near-wreck of his Altar, running a constant stream of curses under his breath as he worked -he had yet to repeat himself once- and Blight spent his time at the dining table, apparently "studying". All in all, it was a scene of surprising peace.

Naturally, it couldn't last forever.

"Nihao- what are you doing here Ukyo?"

"I could ask you the same thing sugar, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see Ranma. Stupid Mousse tagged along."

"Can I help you?"

Ukyo, Mousse and Shampoo blinked and then turned to look at Sooth, who met their curious stares with his own blankly inscrutable (naturally, considering his eyes were closed) gaze. The four stood there for several minutes before Shampoo broke the uneasy silence.

"Uh… Ranma? Is everything all right? You look… different."

"Everything's fine. And why do you say I look different? I always look like this."

Shampoo and Ukyo could only stare uneasily at that remark, silently wondering to themselves if Akane had knocked the wits out of Ranma again. Sooth suddenly thumped his open palm with his fist as he understood their confusion.

"Ah, I see the problem, you've mistaken me for your Ranma. Come on in."

Their Ranma? The trio were really confused now, but they followed Sooth into the Tendo Dojo without speaking a word. Their confusion turned to bewilderment as he led them to the Koi pond, where Storm was still working on his Altar. Doing so meant he brought them past the dining table, where Blight was working with an ancient tome and a mass of chemistry-looking things, and Genma and Soun's Shogi spot, where Grit and Storm's Yeti were playing Shogi.

"Hey, Storm, guests for you."

Storm swore audibly as Sooth's speech distracted him in the middle of key incantation, the miscast spell producing a mystical feedback that was the metaphysical equivalent of smashing his thumb with hammer swung with all of his strength. His angry gaze turned to Sooth, but melted into an "uh-oh" expression at the sight of Ukyo, Mousse and Shampoo standing there, looking with growing disbelief at first him and then the other Ranmas. He spoke the first thing that came to his mind to break the growing uneasy silence.

"So, uh, what brings you here?"

His words went unnoticed however.

"Four Ranmas? What's going on here?"

"It's the harbinger of the apocalypse, that's what! It is the beginning of the end of everything!"

Storm, Grit and even Sooth all glared at Mousse; how dare he call them the harbingers of the apocalypse! He was lucky that Blight was too absorbed in his books –and that he probably would have taken the remark as a compliment- or he would be in serious trouble. Bad as his sight was, Mousse could still make out enough of the expressions on the three Ranmas' faces to make him take several cautious steps backwards, his arms raised in a warding gesture. Unfortunately for him he walked back a step too far, and ended up bumping into Blight just as he had held up a vial of some fluid or another, resulting in said vial flying from Blight's grasp to shatter on the floor.

"Whoops, sorry."

Said Mousse, at which Blight spun around and fixed him with his most malevolent glare, the expression on his face enough to make Mousse back off even without knowing what Blight was capable of.

"You clumsy moronic incompetent-"

Here Blight stopped speaking Japanese and reverted to High Stygian. Though only the Ranmas knew what he was saying, the sheer venom in Blight's voice was enough to make Mousse retreat. Finally, after about seven minutes of non-stop insults, Blight finally stopped, inhaling deeply and forcibly turning away from Mousse, apparently to aid himself in resisting the urge to attack the terrified Chinese Amazon. Storm blinked when he realised that Sooth had a notepad and pencil in his hand, and had apparently been writing all through Blight's tirade.

"What's that?"

"Just a list of how many different types of insults Blight used. So let's see, 16 derogative comments on parentage, 14 seditious suggestions regarding sexuality, 50 questions about mental health and intelligence levels and 26 comparisons to, frankly, unflattering anatomical components and/or animals."

"Okay, maybe I over-reacted. I'm sorry, but the final exam for me to get my Grandmaster's degree in Narco-Alchemy is soon, and I need to study for that test. That was my last dose of Lytrian venom too. And where am I going to get a new batch from?"

Complained the Necromancer. Storm shrugged, even though the question had been rhetorical, and went to clean up the broken glass and spilled fluid. At least, that's what he had intended to do; quickly as he could, Blight had shot over and gripped his wrist, stopping him from moving.

"Don't touch it, you don't want to get affected by that stuff, let me tell you that. I'll get it."

Blight quickly walked over and sopped up the clear fluid with a rag before scooping up the broken glass with his fingers. As he walked away to dispose of it Storm couldn't help but ask a question.

"So what does Lytrian venom do anyway?"

Blight blinked at the question and started to blush, the crimson really looking odd on his face, as he started to babble, which was also pretty unusual.

"Lytrian venom augments the receptors responsible for translating the sensation of coitus but also disrupts the electrical receptors of the cardiac musculature, resulting in severe reactions to over-stimulation that result in fatal cardiac arrest."

Storm, Akane, Shampoo, Mousse and Ukyo all blinked in unison.

"Say what?"

"What the twisted monster is trying to say is that Lytrian venom supercharges the pleasurable sensations produced by having sex but the sheer pleasure that results is too intense for the toxin-weakened heart, resulting in the subject suffering a fatal heart attack. Paired with extract of Passionflesh fruit, it's quite effective."

The six teenagers blinked again, looked at Blight, looked at Sooth, and then looked back at the madly blushing Blight again.

"What does Passionflesh fruit do?"

"Basically, eating Passionflesh fruit is like experiencing a bout of extremely stimulating sex, the fruit itself can be somewhat addictive and is poisonous if consumed in overly large amounts."

Said Blight, still blushing madly. Evidentially Blight, Necromancer or not, still possessed the same… "modesty", as Storm himself did, though Sooth apparently did not. That was really odd, though perhaps no odder than anything else in Nerima- or any Nerima. Storm shook himself back to reality as Shampoo leaned in closely to Blight, a strange expression on her face.

"Do you have any of that Passionflesh fruit with you?"

"Well… yeah, but you can't have any."

Shampoo, Ukyo and Mousse all looked crestfallen. Mousse's hand shot and grabbed Blight by the front of his shirt, pulling the Necromancer from his seat until he and Mousse were face-to-face. Storm mentally applauded Mousse for his courage –and the fact he got it right on the first time- while at the same time he made a silent vow to bring flowers to Mousse's grave. Blight was not going to take something like that very lightly.

"Give us that fruit!"

"Release me or it will be the worse for you."

Storm understood the inherent menace to that soft, silent tone even if Mousse didn't, and discretely but hastily began to slink out of the room. He'd been present when Necromancers lost it before, and it was not an experience he wanted to go through again. He had just reached the doorknob and started trying to turn it when Blight held up his right hand in front of Mousse's face and slowly extended his claws, one by one. In the same calm, soft voice as before, he spoke again.

"Kuno tasted of stale fish drenched in sour pineapple juice. The old freak tasted like mouldy Takoyaki. I wonder what you will taste like?"

The implied menace of that statement began to sink into Mousse's head just as Blight drew his claws back in slow, deliberate preparation to bring them scything across Mousse's face. However, rather than doing so he simply held them at ready while Mousse gently lowered him back to his seating position, made a show of brushing off the spot where he had gasped Blight's shirt, and then delivered a polite bow and backed off. Blight, a triumphant sneer on his face, retracted his claws and resumed studying. As he worked, he spoke over his shoulder.

"I wouldn't mind giving you some of what you seek, but I don't have any to spare, besides which, I don't trust you not to overdose on it and kill yourselves."

Having said his piece, Blight resumed focusing on his tomes and chemicals with the almost insane intensity that was characteristic of both Necromancers and Ranma. As he was now, the house could catch on fire and Blight probably wouldn't notice until the flames were lapping at his flesh. And given the fact Necromancers couldn't actually feel pain, there was every chance that he would have ignored that and kept on studying until he was sitting in a mound of ash and cinders. Storm in turn directed his attention to Shampoo and Ukyo.

"So, what did you come here for anyway?"

"I was wondering if maybe you'd like to come on a date with me."

Both girls spoke the exact same words at the exact same time, at which they promptly glared fiercely at each other while Storm silently prepared for the inevitable fight. Blight glanced up from his work and cackled softly.

"So you still haven't chosen a girl Storm? That makes you unique."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Storm, Shampoo, Mousse and Ukyo said simultaneously.

"Precisely what I said. All the rest of us alternate Ranmas have already chosen the girl we want to marry. But still, I guess one of us had to be behind. After all, things are different in our worlds. I mean, take a look at my world for example; I don't have to put up with Mousse anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because he and Ukyo got married while I was training in Gloom's Vales, that's why."

Had they been drinking, this would have resulted in spit-takes all around. As it was, it the natives of Nerima who heard Blight's glib reply settled for face-faulting, after which one could say that all hell broke loose as Mousse and Ukyo both tried to simultaneously deny any attractions to each other, accuse Blight of lying and questioning how they could have possibly gotten together, mixed in with their questions to explain the whole "other worlds" things.

Storm kept looking backwards and forwards between Blight and the "insulted" duo, while Shampoo kept quiet, privately wondering how something like that could happen and if it might be an idea to duplicate the event here. After all, if she could pull it off, then she'd kill two birds with one stone.

Unfortunately for Ukyo, Mousse and Shampoo, Blight refused to answer their questions. Storm eventually explained the existence of his other selves to the trio, after which their breaks were over and they had to return to their respective cafés. With that over and done with, Storm resumed his repairs of the Altar, though he was still a long way from finished by the time he was called to dinner, which Kasumi had made with the help of Sooth. After a surprisingly peaceful meal, there came the questions of sleeping arrangements. Despite the fact Storm had expected a lot of fuss, things turned out quite differently.

Blight simply curled up in a corner of the living room. Sooth leapt up into the branches of a tree in the yard and lay there as though he were sleeping in a fine featherbed. And Grit simply drew a cloak from subspace, went out into the garden and, in a single move, flung it about his shoulder and collapsed to the ground. It was a "blink and you'll miss it manoeuvre", which resulted in Grit looking like nothing more than a mound of earth. Storm looked from one bizarre sleeping spot to another, looked at his father and the Tendos, and shrugged helplessly before heading for the bathroom. Once he'd finished there, he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

"And here I thought life would get simpler once I'd mastered Elementalism."

"Fat chance."

Storm spun on his heels at the unexpected voice, but there was nobody there. Shrugging it off, he went to bed, wondering what bizarre things tomorrow would bring.

_Wow, perhaps my longest chapter yet and absolutely nothing happens. Ah well, damn writers block to the infinite hells, that's all I can say. I have some scenarios for the next chapter; which ones would you advocate? Also, do you have any suggestions for future chapters? I'm always eager to hear your ideas!_

_Overhearing that one of Blight's Narco-Alchemy recipes can transform "base matter" into solid 24-karat gold, Nabiki tries and succeeds in stealing the book. Unfortunately for her she isn't the greatest at following the instructions…_

_Nodoka Saotome comes to the Tendos for a surprise visit, which is not good news for Storm; how the heck is he supposed to explain three more versions of him running around the place? What's more, Blight seems absolutely terrified of the possibility of meeting Nodoka –what's his problem?_

_Cinder got sent back to his dimension because he had to meet a mysterious deadline. So why has he come back to Storm's version of Nerima? Turns out that the project Cinder was working on his accidentally created a shape-changing monster forged of living metal. Now this twisted "robot" has come to Nerima on a goal of destruction and mayhem; it wants to destroy all flesh-based life and replace it with mechanical slaves. Can the Ranmas stop the metal monster?_


	27. Chapter 27

S .5 Part Twenty-Seven 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** sorry this chapter took so long to get posted, but bad writers block, coupled with computer problems that literally ripped it to shreds, means I couldn't help it.

Part 26: Blighted Worldviews, part 1

Storm awoke the next morning with a strangely groggy and disorientated feeling, kind of like how he thought an extremely bad hangover must feel. Also, his magical energies had apparently spilled forth unconsciously during the night, producing a powerful field of static electricity that had glued his bedding to his body. In his dazed state it took several minutes for him to untangle himself and head for the bathroom, where he found Blight scrubbing his fangs with Storm's toothbrush. Easily sensing the Elementalist's approach, Blight lazily finished cleaning and turned to meet the angry, if glazed, stare of his counterpart.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" grated Storm, his voice as cold as the winds that lashed the barren plateaus of Dalara Peaks.

"Cleaning myself." Blight replied casually, his eyes carefully blank of everything but the tiniest hint of pleasure at managing to provoke negative emotions from someone at this time of day.

"With my toothbrush?" asked Storm, fighting to thrust the sudden pulsing headache that emerged back into the depths of his skull.

"Yeah, but so what? That's no reason to start trying to psyche me out."

Storm just stared at Blight in sudden honest confusion. Seeing Storm's blank look Blight sighed and made a show of moving his gaze to Storm's arm. Storm followed Blight's eyes uncomprehendingly, and then fought to avoid visually revealing his shock. Normally, Storm's skin was the tanned colour you'd expect from a healthy young teenager who'd led an active life, though perhaps a little paler in recent days. Now however his skin was rapidly lightening in colour, speeding through porcelain into pallor and, as he watched, rapidly taking on that unearthly blue-tinged white you only got from flesh that had been frozen utterly solid.

As well as the colour change, thick patches of rimefrost began to form on his clothing and bare flesh, whilst a flickering corona of sparks began to play across his body. Storm gulped as he suddenly heard a crackle of thunder, and looked up to confirm that, yes, there was indeed a miniature storm cloud developing above his head. As he looked at it there was another peal of thunder and it suddenly spewed a torrent of rain directly into Storm's upturned face. Spluttering from the sudden gush of ice-cold water, Storm directed a look of helpless confusion, an expression he had sworn a blood-oath never to let anyone besides himself see, at Blight, who did not help matters by silently laughing.

"What's going on? Why is my Mage Aura active?" Storm asked, long practise allowing him to make his point clear despite the torrents of icy water pouring down his face like a bizarre veil.

A Mage Aura was a bizarre phenomenon common to any and all who walked the path of an Otherworld Mage. Nobody knew for certain what it was or what caused it, but the most popular theory of the day was that it was the result of the sheer amount of aspected mana the Mage channelled, and the alterations to the soul that resulted from such. Essentially, to wield their powers a Mage literally became a focal point for that particular kind of elemental force, a walking reactor of life, death, earth, fire or weather energies.

At its most simple, a Mage Aura was the tendency for the immediate environment to change in accordance to the energies percolating within a Mage's soul. For Mystics, plant life flourished and animal life gained a surprising amount of rude health. For Sorcerers, it grew hotter and drier, and sometimes things would spontaneously combust. Geomancers seemed to just "blend in" to their environment, becoming surprisingly hard to notice. In the case of Elementalists, like Storm, the weather grew more unpredictable and the temperatures dropped. Finally, for Necromancers, light sources would dim, wounds would bleed and heal less quickly and health conditions would tend to worsen.

But there were other, even more outright supernatural effects, such as the ones currently plaguing Storm. The effects of this "advanced" aura differed from Mage to Mage. It was certainly possible to "rein in" the effects of the Mage Aura, and most did both learn how to do so and use it, but there were always some marks, some subtle, some not so subtle. Had it not been for Storm's pre-existing skill with controlling auras, he would, uncontrollably, produce patches of rimefrost instead of sweating and his breath would always be both visible and icy-cold. However, his martial artist skills allowed him to appear that he had no Aura whatsoever.

Such a cast-iron grip on his Aura meant that for it to manifest spontaneously like this was both unusual and disturbing. Finally finished laughing, Blight smiled in a way that probably would have been relaxing, if not for the flesh-ripping fangs he had instead of teeth.

"Relax Storm, you're not the first one of us to experience this problem. It happened to all of us when we'd first got together; we figure it's something to do with being in the presence of alternate versions of ourselves; it erodes the mental barriers we set up. You've been 'leaking' since dinner last night. You just need to calm down and re-establish the barriers."

Those words, surprisingly enough, actually helped Storm fight off the strange feelings of despair and fear that had inexplicably been afflicting him since he fell asleep the previous night. His emotions reined back in, Storm quickly and calmly managed to diminish his Aura and revert to normal. Well, as normal as he got anyway. For some inexplicable reason he also felt happy that he had managed to figure out who had been speaking to him in the bathroom last night.

You see, a Mage Aura could also cause general strange things to happen- he still had nightmares about the time he got caught in a stampede of unicycle-riding Latin-chanting purple elephants wearing green bowler hats. If that had been because of his Aura anyway; there was also the possibility that had been something to do with that mushroom ale he'd looted earlier that morning.

"There now, you see? Everything's fine now. Now come on; time to eat."

You didn't need to tell a Ranma, or a Saotome in general, to come and eat twice, Storm and Blight were both downstairs and at the table in less than a heartbeat. Surprisingly, Sooth had helped Kasumi out in the kitchen again, which meant that was indeed enough for all four Ranmas. Of course, the sight of so much food proved too much temptation for Genma, who resumed his old trick of trying to steal food from Ranma's plate. In this case however, it was a trick he would have been better off forgetting. Storm was too fast for him, Sooth somehow managed to evade his every attack and Grit let him grab a few small pieces before seizing his hand in a crushing grip that felt like it almost broke every bone, whereupon Genma stopped trying.

Of course, even Genma wasn't stupid enough to try and steal from Blight, who he knew would probably make him pay for it with a pound of flesh- literally. Of course, that doesn't mean he wasn't tempted, especially by the way that Blight insisted on continuing to study at the table, holding his Narco-Alchemy book in one hand and getting food with the other, eating autonomously without ever taking his eyes from the words written within the dusty relic.

"So, what's so gripping about that thing you can't even put it down to eat properly? What do you expect to find? The recipe to turn lead into gold?" said Nabiki, in an unusually humorous mood for her.

"Well, excuse me for caring about my mystical education. And why bother? The Liquid Gold elixir, which turns base matter into solid 24-karat pure gold, has been known to us Necromancers for generations." The distracted Blight continued eating and reading simultaneously for almost a minute before he realised the stunned silence surrounding him.

"What? It has."

The other Ranmas discretely sighed and shook their heads in unison; they knew about the Liquid Gold formula, albeit only by rumour, but they wouldn't even have considered trying to steal it. Unfortunately, there were some members of the household who lacked their senses; they could practically see the Yen signs forming in Nabiki's eyes. Blight spoke only a single sentence as he returned his attention to what he considered important.

"Go right ahead Nabiki; if you want to change your vocation from crime boss-in-training to throw-rug, then just speak up."

Nabiki closed her mouth with an audible 'clop' sound and then immediately acted as though she had never even considered asking after the formula. It didn't fool the Ranmas though, and all through breakfast they could see that she occasionally glanced towards the tome clutched in Blight's hands, her eyes developing a cold, calculating look.

Once the meal was over, the group drifted apart to do their different routines. Blight remained right where he was, still studying, while Storm walked over to his Altar and, mumbling under his breath, resumed trying to repair it, his Manahoars crowding around him both to offer support and to try and feed upon the limited trickle of energy coming through it. This was turning out to be an extremely difficult job; Storm not only had to repair all of the physical damages, but he also had to unblock and reconnect all of the "channels" that allowed it to tap into the ethereal network that connected all of his Altars, Shrines and Manaliths. This was an extremely delicate and difficult job, demanding all of Storm's attention.

Thus it was not surprising that he failed to hear an insistent knocking at the door, followed by whoever it was entering the house on their own. Which was a true pity; had he heard whoever was knocking he might have been to avert the subsequent catastrophes.

"Ranma, I…"

The sound of that voice, the way it died in mid-sentence and the sudden-all encompassing feeling of impending doom was enough to tear Storm away from his work. He slowly and reluctantly turned to meet the shocked and confused gaze of his mother, who was staring between him and Grit, who had an expression comparable to a deer caught in the headlight of a speeding semi-trailer. Even then there was still a chance, albeit a very slim one, that they could have talked their way out of this situation. Unfortunately, this was the very moment Sooth chose to come out into the garden behind Nodoka, who spun around at his approach.

"I can explain…" echoed simultaneously and with identical tone and inflection from three identical troubled expressions, the final straw for Nodoka. With a single faint sigh, she fainted. The fact that she was technically mother to only one of them was forgotten in the resultant surge of protective instincts, which drew the three Ranmas on the scene to the unconscious Nodoka's side like a magnet. They gently lifted her from the ground and carried her into the living room, where Blight was still studying.

"Hey Blight, drop the book and give us a hand."

Blight reluctantly closed his grimoire and tossed it to the table before flipping over to where the other Ranmas were standing. However, the very moment he laid eyes upon their burden he let out a strangled 'squawk' of a sound and leapt over their heads into the garden, where he promptly bounded out of sight. Storm blinked in confusion and stared at where his Necromancer counterpart had disappeared.

"What the hell was that all about?"

"Don't worry; he always does that whenever he hears of a Nodoka's presence. It's like he's terrified of her or something; he won't go anywhere near a place where he thinks she may be. None of us know why. Ignore him; your mother's more important."

The three Ranmas gently placed Nodoka back down on the floor, Sooth heading off to find some smelling salts while Storm and Grit stayed to look after her. So distracted where they that something happened that otherwise never would have been possible; Nabiki, who had been secretly watching Blight and trying to concoct a plant to take his grimoire of Narco-Alchemy, was able to "sneak up" and steal the book without either of them noticing. She hurried off as quickly and as quietly as she could as Sooth came back into the room with the smelling salts.

Upstairs, in her room, Nabiki eagerly cracked the spine of the tome open, anxious to find the one formula that would grant her infinite wealth. She eagerly trailed a finger down to the index, only to realise that it was in a form of writing she had never seen before. What was worse, the characters actually seemed to be moving, shifting around the page and altering form in a way that made her slam the book shut and blink to clear her eye. Cautiously, she opened it to a random page, to find that the words written there were in Japanese, although a form that she didn't quite recognize, but whatever the formula on it was, there was no hint.

She flicked to several different pages to confirm that the only place where the formulas were named was the index. By no means put off by this discovery, Nabiki decided she'd just have to experiment- after all, what could happen? Then she took a closer look at the ingredients for one formula and scowled; these weren't the sorts of things that would turn up in a Japanese kitchen- even in the Tendo kitchen. And she didn't dare try stealing some supplies for Blight- she knew what would happen.

For a moment her dreams of wealth wavered, and then she had an idea; she knew from personal experience that the Chinese Amazons had a plentiful supply of mystical potions and spices, so maybe they would have some of what she needed. Even if they didn't, then they might be able to direct her to somewhere where she could buy the ingredients. She shivered unconsciously at the thought of spending her own money unnecessarily, but only once. After all, she'd soon have the key to limitless wealth in her grasp.

The only problem that remained was devising a plan to get them to help her. She immediately decided not to even try for Cologne, which left only Shampoo and Mousse for help. She might be able to get Shampoo with the promise of a date with Ranma, but she disliked the idea of helping one of her little sister's rivals. Besides which, she didn't trust the lavender-haired girl any further than she could throw her. Which meant there was only one choice; Mousse. He was slightly less fickle than Shampoo, plus he would be easier to manipulate; all she had to do was promise him some sort of benefit from helping her concoct these formulas, such as giving him a Love Potion or a Strength Potion, or maybe even curing his eye problems.

Her course of action thoroughly plotted, Nabiki nodded to herself and slipped quietly from her room, hoping that the Ranmas downstairs would be too distracted with Nodoka to notice her leaving.

As Nabiki had hoped, the Ranmas were too intent on the slowly awakening Nodoka to notice or care about her. In order to try and minimize future shocks, Grit was sitting at Nodoka's feet and Sooth was at her head; close enough to be involved, but not in positions where she would see them immediately. That spot went to Storm, who had been given it on account that this was his mother after all. Slowly, moaning softly, Nodoka's eyes flickered open. Storm gently reached out and touched her face in an attempt to provide comfort.

"Mom? Are you alright?"

"R-Ranma? Yes, I'm fine. I just had the weirdest dream…"

"About there being three of me?"

Nodoka blinked and stared at Storm with confusion, and the tiniest bit of suspicion, in her eyes.

"Why, yes. How did you know?"

"Because it wasn't a dream- no! Calm down! It's okay, it's okay; they won't hurt you."

"Now that's a slander even the dark one wouldn't put up with." Grumbled Grit under his breath, otherwise keeping himself personally still to avoid startling the panicked Nodoka, who was staring at him and then at one of the other Ranmas in wide-eyed horror, frantically trying to scrabble away from them. However, Storm seized her in a firm but gentle grip, preventing her from moving whilst he tried to calm her down. He was failing to get anywhere until Sooth, from his position behind Nodoka, opened his eyes slightly and began to sing, a soft, gentle, wordless melody that seemed to fill the air with peace and calm.

Grit and Storm could both feel themselves getting caught in the hypnotic pull of the music, but they fought the effects off. Nodoka struggled against it for almost a minute before it overcame her and she calmed down, finally looking between the three Ranmas without something like panic in her eyes. Sooth slowly stopped singing as Storm released his grip. Looking much calmer now, Nodoka turned her head to look at Storm.

"You must have quite a story to tell me son."

Elsewhere in Nerima, a store's doorbell tinkled gently, unaware of the doom it foretold.

"Welcome to Cat Café."

_Phase 1 complete, now for Phase 2…_

_Okay, I'm sorry once again for the delay in getting this up. I'll try to get the next one up sooner, however I need your help. As you can probably guess, the next chapter reveals a little more about the home-lives of Ranma's alternate selves, including why Blight is scared of Nodoka. It also has Nabiki and Mousse messing with Blight's grimoire of Narco-Alchemy, with the sort of results you'd expect. Now this is where I need you help; can you please suggest some "accident" that could result from Nabiki and Mousse dabbling in something beyond their control? Also, I have an idea for the next chapter's ending; should I use it or not?_

_Basically, in punishment for stealing his book, Blight splashes Nabiki and Mousse with a compound that will, for the next week, see Nabiki pursuing Mousse in the exact same way he normally pursues Shampoo._


	28. Chapter 28

S .5 Part Twenty-Eight 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** okay, a few ideas for "accidents", but none that I felt I could use. Oh well, I'll just make it up as I go along, like I usually do. I must admit my gratitude to reviewer Ormik, who has provided me with perhaps the most detailed and professional review I've ever had. I know there hasn't been much plot development until now, but that will change.

Part 27: Blighted Worldviews, part 2

It had taken awhile, and a heavily edited recounting of their collective story to do so, but the three Ranmas had finally managed to get Nodoka to stop freaking out over the fact she'd met them. In fact, they were actually starting to regret calming her down, as she was now grilling them all mercilessly about their lives, and continued trying to dig into some very 'private' matters irregardless of the way they tried to divert her.

The current topic of choice was their romantic lives. Storm had quickly made it plain that things hadn't changed too much between him and his fiancées, other than the fact Kodachi had dumped him and was getting married to Mint, a member of the legendary Musk Dynasty of China. Storm wondered where Herb was, and how his 'pursuit' of Kasumi Tendo was going. He hadn't been around the Tendo Dojo for a while, he admitted that, but he hadn't seen the dragon-blooded royal since he got back. Come to that, had Mint and Kodachi gotten married yet?

Of course, the moment Storm had finished Nodoka had turned on Grit and Sooth, questioning them about not only their love lives, but also those of the other Ranmas. They would only reveal Cinder's however; they refused to speak about Blight's love life- or even to speak of him at all. For reasons unknown to Storm, they only referred to him obliquely, and never did so by name. The Dark One, they called him. The Hateful One, the Skulker in Darkness, the Cruelty Wreathed in Shadows. These were all titles they used whenever they had to mention him; enough to acknowledge his existence, but not enough to give him any form of personality.

They stubbornly ignored any questions as to who Blight was and why they gave him those names, and when Nodoka turned her gaze to him Storm could only shrug helplessly; he was positive that Grit and Sooth had their reasons, and that those reasons lay buried in their mutual past. He simply hadn't known them long enough to be trusted with such personal details, and once he was he probably wouldn't reveal that knowledge either. The end result was that Nodoka knew there were five of them, but she knew nothing about the fifth of them.

To Storm's shock, he was the only one who had yet to actually choose between fiancées; all of his counterparts had chosen the woman they wanted to marry. Also surprising was the fact that he was the only one, besides Sooth, who had actually considered upholding the Tendo marriage pact; Sooth had switched his engagement to Kasumi, and the two of them had actually held their wedding ceremony a week ago. Which made Storm wonder why Sooth was so calmly sitting around in Storm's version of the Tendo Dojo when he should be enjoying his honeymoon.

In response to his curious stare, evidentially reading his thoughts, Sooth opened one eye and winked at Storm in his own peculiar way. Knowing he would never be able to winkle that information out of the secretive Mystic, Storm turned his attention back to the conversation between Sooth and Nodoka.

"But why didn't any of you choose Akane? She's such a sweet girl and there is the matter of the Tendo-Saotome pact to consider."

"Sweet? Akane? Oh yeah, she can be sweet sometimes- but all too rarely. You've only seen her on her best behaviour you've no idea what her temper is like. All of us have taken far too many hits because of her leaping to conclusions. Face it; we share too many of the same vices and too few of the same interests. And besides which I at least have honoured the agreement between our two families; they never specified which daughter we were supposed to marry, did they?"

"I guess, but is Akane really that bad? I just can't see her acting the way you describe."

"She'll try and hide it from you, and your Ranma seems to have done a good job of calming her down-"

Storm couldn't help but smile remembering how he'd intimidated all of the fiancées into giving him some peace and quiet.

"-But none of us could manage, or we simply decided it wasn't worth the effort. Take Cinder for example. Man, talk about your rough break-ups."

"Why? What happened?"

"Let me put to you as an equation: -open bracket- Akane plus Akane's Temper –close bracket- plus Argument plus –open bracket- Ranma plus Sorcerer Powers –close bracket- equals…?"

"Boom." Storm and Grit replied at once. Nodoka just blinked in confusion as Sooth nodded his head in agreement.

"Boom is right. You know the reputation Sorcerers have in regards to their ability to control their powers? Well, let me say that in Cinder's case, the rumours are true. He spontaneously flared his power and burned the entire Tendo Dojo to ash and cinders. He spat at Soun's feet, officially cancelled the Tendo-Saotome pact and stalked off into the night. When Genma tried to bring him to heel Cinder threw him about three and a half miles with a Detonate spell. He moved in with Ukyo, sparks flew and, before you know it, he was helping her pack up the restaurant and hitting the road again with her at his side. They left their version of Nerima and have basically vowed to never return."

"Wait a minute, if he doesn't have a settled home, then how can he help Ukyo run her restaurant and oversee his demesne at the same time?" asked Storm.

"For one thing, he basically reworked an Altar of his into Ukyo's new okonomiyaki cart, for another he eventually persuaded her to move to Ashcindral. I mean, he offered her the choice between being a queen, and being a wandering chef. Which do you think she went for? Besides which, she's found a real golden opportunity for her personal profits- Cinder's proles go nuts for her okonomiyaki."

Storm nodded in agreement, musing once again on the startling similarities between their two worlds. Though nobody else knew it, an accidental bout of drunkenness had lead to Storm developing a spell that created ice cream, a substance previously unknown to Otherworld and which had proven exceptionally popular- for the first couple of months after the spell had become known to the public, Storm had been besieged by young Elementalists who wanted to learn the spell. The end result was that Storm was now the head of the biggest –not to mention only- chain of ice creameries in Otherworld, and thus raking in the profits.

It was not something he liked to talk about though; less from fear about being pleaded to produce an endless supply of the frozen treat and more from being humiliated for designing such a spell. Of course, there was still some of the latter in his reluctance to reveal his secret- he shuddered to think what might happen if Nabiki found out about ability, or the massive horde of wealth he had stashed away in Otherworld. Come to think of it, where was Nabiki?

Nabiki, unbeknownst to any of the Ranmas, was currently with Mousse in a secretive location, still trying to find the recipe that would grant her limitless wealth. She'd managed to persuade Cologne and Shampoo to "loan" Mousse to her in exchange for persuading Storm to ask Shampoo on a date. Of course, the fact that the Cat Café was empty and they probably didn't want the clumsy boy underfoot may well have played a part in their decision. In regards to Mousse himself, Nabiki had managed to bribe him with a mixture of promises, primarily revolving around a tonic to help him defeat Storm, a love potion to make Shampoo fall for him and enough gold for him to get corrective eye surgery.

Unfortunately, those were the only ways in which Nabiki's plan was working. Even a discrete raid on Cologne's chest of magic components had failed to secure them with everything they needed for the various recipes, and Mousse's blindness was proving a real hindrance in actually making the concoctions; he tended to put in either too much or too little, add the wrong ingredient or to add it at the wrong time. Coupled with that was the fact the recipes were turning out to be harder to comprehend than Nabiki's initial impression had led her to believe, and the result was that Nabiki had well over a dozen vials containing failed potions sitting next to her recipes besides a cauldron bubbling with their latest brew.

"Okay, this time for sure!"

"That's what you said the last three times Nabiki. I'm getting really sick of catching explosions with my face. If I wanted to get hurt that badly, I could always go challenge Ranma, or hit on Shampoo." Muttered Mousse, scratching himself idly as Nabiki glared at him, surreptitiously doing the same- one of their more recent attempts had apparently infested them both with fleas. Finally admitting to herself that her glare had no effect on Mousse –not surprising, giving how used he was to being glared at by Cologne and Shampoo- she turned back to the bubbling cauldron.

"Pass me a sprig of wormswort."

Mousse was privately wondering whether or not it might be a good idea to empty the cauldron –where had Nabiki managed to get that from anyway?- in between batches. However, long experience at the Cat Café meant he kept his mouth shut and passed Nabiki a sprig of what he thought was wormswort. Nabiki took it and threw it into the bubbling morass of liquids, which immediately exploded in a massive mushroom cloud of greasy smoke that billowed out and engulfed Nabiki. Only her coughing kept Mousse from panicking that she'd blown herself up, and the moment he could see her clearly he burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" she snapped.

"Your hair! Blond is so not a look for you!"

Nabiki blinked in confused horror and grabbed the nearest reflective surface, revealing that, yes, her hair was indeed now a brilliant golden in colour. As Mousse laughed until he seemed liable to bust a gut, enjoying the fact that for once since he'd come to live in Nerima the joke wasn't on him, Nabiki's face flushed with rage and her eyes narrowed in fury. With a sudden almost Akane-like scream of fury she grabbed the nearby scoop and hurled some of the liquid at Mousse, who quickly dodged it. And good for him too- the fluid ate through the cement telephone pole it had hit with an acidic hiss.

"Whoa, calm down Nabiki! I didn't mean anything- it actually looks pretty good on you! And I'm sure there's a cure!"

"I am so sick of this! I've tried just about every damn recipe in this accursed book and absolutely nothing works!"

With another scream she smashed her fists down upon the edge of the table closest to the cauldron. Unfortunately for her the legs under fist broke and the other end of the table seesawed upwards, hurtling the ingredients and the previous potions into the cauldron, which immediately began to bubble and swirl and foam like a storm-wracked sea.

"Uh oh…"

The cauldron began to groan and rumble, before finally exploding like a bomb and sending the two would-be alchemists flying through the air. When they painfully raised themselves from the ground, they stared in horror at where the cauldron had been. Now, in its place, there stood a massive, grotesque humanoid form, apparently composed of semi-solid sludge. It looked towards them and roared in a deep, gurgling bellow before suddenly puking twin streams of muck directly at the pair of them, too fast for them to dodge. As they writhed helplessly in pain, paralyzed by the transformations being wrought by the noxious goo, the beast roared again and bounded away into the city. No sooner had it vanished from site than Mousse and Nabiki could move again, their transformations complete.

"Now I just know we're going to get the blame for this… hey, what's happened to my voice?"

Mousse's voice was indeed now a higher pitch and softer tone, far more feminine that normal. Trembling hands patting at chest and crotch confirmed his fears.

"Yaaah! It turned me into a girl! Nabiki, this is all- what the hell happened to you!"

Nabiki's eyes were now ornate gemstone-like lenses, her skin had taken on an appearance that mimicked metallic plating and her hair seemed to have solidified into pure gold. She stared wide-eyed at her hands, turning them and moving her fingers as though to confirm what had happened to her. She met Mousse-chan's stunned eyes with her own horrified look.

"What are we going to do now?"

"I say we go with the most logical conclusion."

"What's that?"

"Find Blight and beg for mercy."

Mousse-chan waited patiently for robo-Nabiki to dig herself out of the crater her face-fault had produced. Then she walked over and, ignoring the mechanical girl's protests and arguments, grabbed her by the steel wrist and dragged her off towards the Tendo Dojo. It was far from easy, given robo-Nabiki's sheer weight and the way she dug her heels into the ground with her apparently enhanced strength, but Mousse-chan was a Chinese Amazon and thus possessed of tremendous strength by sheer virtue of her bloodline. Coupled with her unnatural stubbornness and determination, all robo-Nabiki's efforts did was leave twin gouges into the concrete as Mousse-chan dragged her along.

Of course, the dragging got slightly easier as they went further- it turned out changing her into a living robot wasn't the only effect that monstrosity's sludge had on Nabiki; she was also getting younger and younger with every step. Before they had gone maybe a block robo-Nabiki had physically regressed to a toddler, and Mousse-chan was being forced to carry her. Unfortunately for her robo-Nabiki's mental age remained the same, which meant she was now carrying a swearing, fighting, screaming baby robot. This was made even worse by the fact that the cauldron-monster had left behind a swarm of twisted fighting beasts -generally inanimate objects brought to twisted life- which were randomly assaulting and terrifying anyone in their path.

Eventually, Mousse-chan managed to fight her way through their ranks to reach the Tendo Dojo, which she found that the cauldron-monster had apparently decided to lead a full-scale assault against, its defense force consisting of not only of the expected Akane, Storm, Sooth and Grit, but also of a strangely determined-looking Ryoga, Shampoo- who had apparently been mutated into a cat-girl version of herself and thus was ensuring she kept away from the Ranmas, Ukyo- now sporting an extra foot of height, stereotypical "Martian" antennae and two extra sets of arms, an armour clad Kuno, a young Chinese girl clad in scandalously little clothing and a very angry-looking duo of Mint and Kodachi, the latter wearing what looked like a tattered black version of a Western wedding dress.

It was impossible to tell which way the balance could swing at any given moment, as at one point the monstrosities would reach the very doors of the Dojo, and the next second they would be pushed back to the garden wall. Finally, an unexpected push from a sort of giant tree-man ripped open the side of the house, exposing a scared-looking Nodoka Saotome. The cauldron-monster voiced its gurgling roar and then spewed forth a geyser of acid, aimed directly at Nodoka.

"Mom! Watch out!" howled Storm, incapable of helping as a sort of giant, fur-covered tentacled frog was currently grappling him. But Nodoka was apparently paralyzed with fear, incapable of moving as the toxic fluids lanced through the air towards her. It looked like she would join the ranks of the mutated for certain… until a black blur suddenly shot from nowhere to intercept the fluids, protecting Nodoka with its own body. Mousse-chan and robo-Nabiki were now close enough to see that the blur had been none other than Blight, who stood defiantly in front of Nodoka and neither made a sound nor twitched, despite the fact that the fluids visibly ate into his body with an acidic hissing; the pain had to be incredible.

Nodoka blinked; was this the "fifth" Ranma that her own son and the other two had occasionally mentioned? Blight turned towards her just enough to look at her with his undamaged eye, which Nodoka could see was filled with a profound sorrow. He nodded his head just once before turning back towards the beast, materializing his Soul-Blade before forcing a screaming roar though his decaying vocal cords and launching himself into the battle.

Despite the fact his wounds would have killed a normal man, Blight didn't seem to be even slightly hindered by their presence, closing on the cauldron-monster with an eye-deceiving flurry of blows that were far too fast for it to counter or dodge, with the end result that he literally hacked the raging creature to death. No sooner had it bled the last of its life out, screaming furiously all the way, then the twisted monsters assaulting the house suddenly stopped moving and reverted to whatever they had originally been. Much to the disappointment of those who had been mutated, they remained mutated.

Apparently finally giving in to the pain of his wounds, Blight slumped unconscious to the ground, whereupon his fellow Ranmas immediately closed in on him and gently carried him inside, Nodoka joining them whilst the others who had been part of the defense force began sorting through the piles of debris. Mousse-chan began to wonder if it might not be such a good idea to approach them so soon after this turn of events, but before she could voice her suspicions to robo-Nabiki Shampoo spotted them.

"Aiya! There they are! They're the ones responsible for all this! Get them!"

Mousse-chan gulped and tried to flee, but was quickly overtaken and forcibly subdued by the angry mob. She didn't mind the beating –well, not as such- but did they have to use her own chains to tie her up? And did they have to drag her on her front back inside the Tendo Dojo? She was finding out precisely how sensitive certain parts of the female were when she was hauled off the floor by the scruff of her neck and tossed onto the ground in front of Nodoka and the Ranmas, the latter of which turned from their vigil over the bed-laden Blight to glare at her and at robo-Nabiki, currently being carried in the arms of her angry looking younger sister.

"So, is this what you wanted? Is this the great revenge you intended Mousse? I know why Nabiki wanted the grimoire, but I never believed you'd stoop to such a level." Said Storm.

"What! I had absolutely no idea anything like this was going to happen! I was just the dogs-body- all I did was get the ingredients. She's the one who made that monster, not me, punish her!" yelled Mousse-chan, pointing a finger at the glaring robo-Nabiki. He knew it was far from honourable, but if honour meant becoming acquainted with the wrong end of a very impressive set of fangs and claws, then screw honour! He was distracted from further pleadings/denials by a sudden wheezing laugh from the reclining Blight.

"You needn't worry Mousse; I believe you. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to punish you for taking part in her schemes; just that I'll make your mutual sentence a little lighter. But only on one condition."

"What's that? Tell me- I'll do anything! Anything!"

"Bring… bring me my grimoire. That way, I can heal myself, and cure your various… conditions."

"Oh, you needn't rush on my account; this isn't so bad." Said the unfamiliar Chinese girl. Shampoo responded to that with an unlady-like snort.

"You would say that great-grandmother."

Mousse-chan's jaws dropped; this beautiful young girl was the old mummy? Now that she looked at her, she did kind of resemble Shampoo, though with green eyes and a slightly darker blue for her hair (A/N: if you've seen what Young Cologne looked like in "Back to the Happosai!", then you know what she looks like). She quickly nodded at Blight and the other Ranmas and quickly fled to the vacant lot where she and robo-Nabiki had performed their experiments; she couldn't even think about what the lightened sentence would be like, she had absolutely no desire whatsoever to find out what sort of punishment Blight would consider "heavy". As she left, Nodoka laid a gentle hand upon Blight's burned face.

"My poor, poor son."

"Hey there… mom. I… I'm sorry you had to see me."

"Don't be sorry; you took these wounds for me."

"I'm not sorry that you see me like this, I'm sorry that you had to see me at all. I was trying to spare you from having to know I existed."

"But why? Why do that?"

"Because, monster that I am, there's still a few shreds of humanity left within me, enough that I had no wish to 'blight' your life with knowledge of me. I haven't stooped to that level of atrocity yet."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

Blight stared at her for a few seconds before an ugly and bitter chuckle whispered out of his ravaged throat.

"You are a kind, noble and gentle woman. What sort of torment would such a person undergo, to discover that their own child had become a monster? I couldn't do that to anyone, let along my own mother."

"What do you mean by monster? You're not a monster!"

"Oh, but I am. I am a Necromancer, and by my very nature I am a creature of darkness and terror, of hatred and purest evil. I am, as Sooth so aptly put it, a murderous black magic-using blood-drinking brain-sucking corpse-defiling soul-eating psychopathic freak. What crimes have you –have any versions of Nodoka- committed that I should reveal what their own flesh and blood has –or could have- become? I sought to spare you that pain, but my hands were forced."

Nodoka didn't speak –what could she say?- and simply shook her head at this declaration. The other Ranmas also stared at their "brother", unable to believe that this being, the darkest of their number, could have such a strongly developed sense of honour. That didn't mean that they weren't convinced he wasn't slightly screwed up in the head, just that they found his sincerity impressive.

It was sometime later; Mousse-chan had brought Blight the grimoire and he had used it to devise first a healing concoction for himself, and then to remedy the various ailments afflicting the others, getting someone else to cure cat-girl-Shampoo and leaving Cologne still "youthisized", as per her request. Mousse and Nabiki were the very last ones to be cured, and they were currently standing in the center of a circle of very angry looking Nerimites, who were muttering furiously as the worried duo received their cures.

"Why should they even get cures? It was all their fault in the first place."

"That's right- that accursed monster of theirs ruined my wedding. If not for them, my darling Mint and I would now officially be man and wife!"

"If it's any consolation Kodachi, any one of us could 'stand in' and officialise your marriage for you." Said Blight. This drew confused looks from every non-Ranma present. Blight blinked when he realised they were staring at him, and then sighed dramatically.

"It's part of the duties of the Otherworld Mage; we rule over entire lands, but we also have roles to play in running them. We direct our servants towards our goals, but we officialise their marriages, tend to the injured and even deliver their children. Although we tend to play these roles to different levels."

Unnoticed by anyone, Storm silently drifted off in reminiscence as he recalled the times when he had been called upon to fulfil such duties, like how he had helped deliver Daggertongue's pup, a female she had named Ranko after his female side's name, over a seventeen hour-long labour several months ago. He idly wondered how the energetic little pup was doing; last he recalled she'd reached the Frostwolf equivalent of toddlerhood. Then he wondered if he should let Nodoka know about her existence, and about the fact Daggertongue had asked him to be the… well, the closest translation would be "godfather".

"Thanks for the offer, but no; we shall simply have to hold the ceremony over again. Please see to it that those two do not interrupt it again!" snapped Kodachi, directing a dagger-edged glare at Mousse and Nabiki.

"Don't worry, I think these two will be far too busy for the next week to interrupt you."

Nabiki and Mousse looked nervous as Blight grinned at them and held out a vial containing a faintly glowing pus-yellow fluid, which he then poured out into two cups.

"Swallow."

With no other choice, the two of them did so, shuddering at the taste. Blight grinned and walked past them to grasp Shampoo's arm, drawing her out of the circle and up close to Mousse.

"And now for the acid test. Mousse, pretend Shampoo here just said she wanted to marry you."

Everyone present, bar Mousse himself, stared at Blight as though he'd just lost his mind. Mousse himself simply lunged at Shampoo as though nothing in the world was wrong- and promptly dropped to ground screaming in pain. Blight simply grinned and waved Shampoo back towards her spot in the circle, Mousse downgrading from agonized screaming to pained twitching as she did so. Nabiki stared at Mousse, but quickly averted her attention to the 1000 Yen bill Blight was offering her. Eagerly she stretched out her hand towards it- and froze as tingles of pain, like pins and needles, began shooting up her arm as she drew near it. The closer she got, the greater the pain.

"What have you done to me!" she screamed, Mousse now clambering back to his feet and joining her in directing hateful glares at Blight, who simply voiced a surprisingly Kodachi-like laugh.

"The poison the two of you have ingested reacts in response to the one thing around which your lives have, until this point, revolved around; Shampoo for you Mousse, and money for you Nabiki. Getting too close to either of them will cause intense pain, and will eventually kill you. If you do die, then you shall spontaneously reanimate as my undead servants. Once I feel you have been sufficiently punished, I shall give you the antidote."

That news failed to cheer either of the crestfallen duo; they looked like the world had come to end. But then, in a way, for them at least, it had. Before Mousse could react, Blight suddenly lashed out with another vial, the fluid spewing from its open top to splash Mousse, whereupon it engulfed him in a cloud of purple mist. As the confused Chinese boy finished coughing, the grinning Blight answered his unspoken question.

"That was phase two of your mutual punishment; that liquid I doused you with is one part of a binary compound love potion. Anyone splashed with the other part will become hopelessly infatuated with you and pursue you using the exact same methods and manner that you have used to pursue Shampoo. Just to make things a little more interesting, I spiced your component with an elixir that will reduce your physical capabilities to precisely one-half your normal level."

"Wait a second; you said mutual punishment, right? Well then, why a love potion? I mean, Nabiki and I have nothing going on between us- how is that punishment?" Blight's menacing grin and the sudden tendrils of pink smoke that wafted from beside him answered that question.

"Oh no…"

"Mousse baby…"

Mousse promptly screamed like the proverbial girl and took of running, the infatuated Nabiki in hot pursuit. As they fled over the walls Blight called out to them.

"Don't worry; the love potion and the weakness potion will both wear off in a week."

Dusting his hands he turned to meet the staring eyes of the others.

"What?"

"You are pure evil." Said Shampoo.

"Thanks for the compliment. Besides, I took it easy on him; I could have doused your great-grandmother with the other part." He let the others shudder on that mental image before finishing "after returning her to her normal looks."

Their reaction is best left unwritten…

_Okay, this is perhaps the longest chapter in the story, certainly the longest one to date. I'm trying to increase the plot; am I succeeding? Now, I just have a few questions to ask you all:_

_In the next chapter (which sees the return of Cinder), what should the after-effects be of Blight's punishment of Mousse and Nabiki? Nightmares of nearly (or actually…) lost virginity, a pregnant Nabiki, bitter feud between the two, the budding of an actual relationship between them, what?_

_Now, sometimes I've been asked for Omakes of this story- unfortunately, I don't have any comedic writing talent. If you can think of Omakes for this story, then I'm asking you send them to me via PM or (if they're short enough) by review. The ones I like best will be included in subsequent chapters._

_I'm afraid I'm starting to run out of ideas for this story, so I'm asking you all for ideas to use in future chapters. Also, I have one last idea of my own; the Ranmas, for some reason or another, decide to have a "plane-travelling death rally". This means that the Ranmas all race/battle each other through various dimensions. Should I use this idea? If your answer is yes, then please supply:_

_-ideas for rides/mounts/vehicles for each Ranma to use in the race._

_-suggestions as to which worlds the race should take part in. Please only suggest one per "lap", each lap will consist of one world with the next one taking place in a new world/chapter._

_-your vote on which Ranma to win each lap._


	29. Chapter 29

S .5 Part Twenty-Nine 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

Part 28: The Return of Cinder

It was precisely five days since the "incident" and things were just starting to settle down. Mousse and Nabiki had been missing for the whole day after Blight doused them with that love elixir, and Soun had just started to have one of his patented panic attacks when Nabiki had interrupted him by finally getting home, walking onto the scene wearing a "cat that got the cream" smile and dragging an unconscious Mousse behind her, wrapped up in his own chains. She hadn't said a word but had simply smiled enigmatically throughout her father's inquiries and, after having a bath –during which she had left Mousse hanging upside down from the ceiling via his chains- had gone straight for her room, taking Mousse with her.

Soun, who had apparently been drinking with Genma during the attack, had actually rounded on Blight, remembering a split-second too late precisely who he was dealing with. Luckily for him, Blight understood his reaction and didn't blame him for it; he was positive that Mousse would have been able to avoid Nabiki even with his physical capabilities reduced. Soun had tried to "prevent Mousse from defiling his daughter, but Nabiki had responded to him "interrupting her privacy" by launching a barrage of Mousse's throwing daggers at him.

Blight had managed to calm Soun down by stating that Mousse was clearly unconscious and incapable of doing anything to Nabiki, and also that the potion would not cause sexual desire; merely obsessive love. Mousse's initial actions had born out the truth of this statement; the moment he'd regained consciousness, he'd tried to escape, though Nabiki had immediately set off after him and, eventually, succeeded in recapturing him. Since then, whenever he got the chance he'd try to escape, though Nabiki always managed to recapture him. Storm was positive that Mousse was actually starting to deliberately make the occasional mistake, as though he was actually letting her capture him on purpose. He had to wonder; was it possible? Could Nabiki's affections, albeit magically induced, be provoking reciprocated feelings from Mousse?

Storm hoped not; not only for his own sake –even with his new powers, the idea of having one of his rivals (former rivals anyway) actually living in the same house as him was not an attractive one- but also for Mousse's sake; he was positive that once the love potion wore off in two days, Nabiki would not only revert to her normal coldness towards Mousse but would go beyond it into outright hatred of him as a result of what she had done. Storm didn't think Mousse's fragile heart could take it if he finally had someone who actually loved him, only for them to then start hating him for no fault of his own.

Out of concern, Storm had spoken to Blight about his fears. Other than being gobsmacked about the idea that Mousse might actually fall for Nabiki, Blight had no idea about what the after-effects might be. He'd expected –and admitted as such- that Mousse would be able to evade Nabiki's effects easily enough, but that she would harass him constantly and thus make him realise precisely how annoying his methods were. The two of them had gone to the Cat Café to tell the now-young Cologne and Shampoo about where Mousse was. They had expressed some minor sympathies but were otherwise too distracted to care; Cologne's new body seemed to attract the customers as well as Shampoo's did and the Cat Café was doing marvellous business.

Of course, Shampoo herself was mortified about the way men would actually flirt with her great-grandmother- and the way she would actually encourage them. And of course, naturally, Blight had to mentally scar them all again by warning Cologne that if she wasn't careful, she could end up giving Shampoo a new great-aunt. Shampoo had almost fainted at that. Perhaps because Cologne's most enthusiastic suitor was Tatewaki Kuno, and the interest seemed to actually be mutual- much to Shampoo and the Ranmas' disgust.

It was really turning out to be a week for romance; there was Mousse and Nabiki –though Storm doubted that couple would survive the fading of the love potion, especially given how Soun seemed ready to go ballistic; only fear of Nabiki's wrath currently prevented him from doing anything about expressing his feelings- Cologne and Kuno –and the universe resounded with the sound of countless souls crying out their disgust in perfect unison- And, finally, Kasumi and Herb.

It had turned out that the reason Kasumi had been absent from the siege was because Herb, who had apparently rented an apartment nearby to live in while he wooed the eldest Tendo Daughter, had asked her out on a date before the monsters had reached the Dojo. However, she seemed strangely oblivious as to Herb's intentions, and Storm made a mental note to talk to Sooth about it when he next came back.

You see, Storm had finally finished repairing his Altar the day after Nabiki had drug an unconscious Mousse home, and Sooth had been the very first to request to be sent home. However, rather than simply disappearing like Storm had expected, he'd warned Storm to accept the fact that his counterparts would now pop in on him whenever the mood took them. Blight had finished studying and gone to take his test yesterday, and Storm was wondering how he had done. No sooner had the thought fully formed when his Altar suddenly flared into life, a portal opening and then closing behind an ecstatic looking Blight, who eagerly cartwheeled towards Storm.

"I take it from that little display things went well?" smirked Storm, Blight simply grinning so widely in return Storm wondered if the flesh of his face was about to rip.

"Oh yeah, passed with flying colours- there's a big party to celebrate soon, so I came to borrow some fancy clothing for myself before I let my lovely brides-to-be know."

"Well, I seriously doubt you'll find anything Necromancer-fashionable here- and wait a second, what do you mean brides to be?"

Blight looked sheepish, he looked in all directions, by means of twisting his head 360-degrees, before answering in a soft voice.

"Well, I guess you would have been let in on the secret sooner or later. You know how all of us have managed to choose between the fiancées to decide the woman we wish to marry?"

"Yes" replied Storm, trying to avoid letting any bitterness show- all he had managed to accomplish was to keep the fiancées from treating him like a trophy, and only at the expense of practically terrifying them out of their wits.

"Well, when it came time to my choice, I found a conundrum. You see, I had begun to return the feelings my dimension's version of Shampoo felt for me, the feelings she continued to posses despite knowing what I had became. But there was another. You see, when I had first returned to the Tendo Dojo, it hadn't been to a warm welcome like the rest of you received. My world's version of Akane attacked me, like she always had, though this time with even more venom. She was fortunate I had already sated my bloodlust –and my appetite- on the Kunos and the old lech, or I would have killed her. As it was, I used the Hope Shattering Claw Strike to put an end to her bullying and bragging once and for all."

Here Blight trailed off, lost in his memories with his face twisted in a faint, strangely disturbing smile. Storm blinked at him and then shuddered internally; no matter how obnoxious Akane could be sometimes, he still didn't hate her. Or at least he didn't hate her enough to consider permanently erasing her martial arts skills. He pondered that conundrum as Blight finally snapped back to reality.

"I was about to follow in Cinder's footsteps –though I didn't know of his existence at the time- and leave the Tendo Dojo forever, my father having been officially disowned by me in retaliation for his various sins, when something happened that stopped me, something that no other member of our little group has witnessed."

"What? What was it already?" snapped Storm, who was growing very sick of this twisting labyrinth of riddles and non-answers.

"Soun Tendo actually grew a spine and stopped acting like a pathetic caricature of a man, that's what happened. He actually told Akane off for once, telling her that she had been acting in a manner unfit for a martial artist and that she deserved to lose her abilities. Of course, he had no idea at the time the effect was permanent, but still. Then he apologized to me, and told me that although the Saotome Honour demanded I marry one of his daughters, he would release me from that contract if I so desired."

"Very touching, but it still doesn't answer exactly why and how you have two wives-to-be."

"I'm getting to that! To this day I don't know why, but I actually agreed to give the Saotome-Tendo arrangement another chance. Maybe Soun's display of an actual backbone impressed me on some sub-conscious level, maybe it was just the side-effect of whatever toxins Kodachi had internalised and which were circulating through my systems at that moment in time. My only alteration was that I would not be paired with Akane again. Naturally, he agreed to that change."

"So which sister did you go for? Kasumi?"

Blight started at that name, making a sound somewhere between a spluttered choking and laughter.

"Me? With Kasumi? Are you out of your mind? The same thing applies to her as applies -well, applied- to Nodoka. I'm not that heartless a monster I want to blight her happiness."

"So then who did you go with? I mean, if you broke up with Akane, and refused to get engaged to Kasumi, then that leaves…"

Blight nodded, face twisted into his now oh-so-familiar malicious smirk as Storm unwillingly completed the sum.

"How in the infinite hells could you possibly even consider getting re-engaged to her? Don't you remember what happened the last time?"

"Like I could forget. However, irregardless of the past, things actually worked out between us this time around."

"I'm not going to ask how, because I'm positive that I don't want to know the answer. But I will ask how the heck you can be getting married to both Nabiki and Shampoo."

"Simple. The Joketsuzoku tribe allows for polygamous marriage, as does Stygia. And as far as I'm concerned, the two of them make for perfect brides by Stygian standards; Shampoo to guard my back on the battlefield, and Nabiki to aid me in the political machinations that are so much a part of Necromancer life. Now come on; I need to pick up some new 'accessories' for the graduation party tonight, and I want to surprise my ladies."

"They'll be surprised alright; have you told them precisely what Stygian fashion is?"

"Oh yes, this is just going to nail the information home."

Storm didn't speak –he couldn't speak- and simply shook his head and exited the house, Blight trailing along behind him. Which was a pity; had they remained where they were for just a minute longer than maybe they could have prevented what was to occur. Untended and unnoticed by anyone, Storm's Altar flared into life and an entirely new figure, unknown by any of those who might have been present, steeped through the portal. It looked around its immediate surroundings for several seconds, before shaking its head and fleeing as fast as its legs could carry it.

It was about an hour later and Storm and Blight were finally heading "home" from the one place in Nerima guaranteed to cater to a Necromancer's tastes in fashion; the junkyard.

"Do you think I used a bit too much broken glass? I don't want to seem tacky after all."

"Nah, a crown of glass shards forced into the forehead, and a couple through the flesh of the cheeks, looks good on you; very spiky. It goes with those iron pitons you hammered through your right arm, and all the nails and screws you drilled into your flesh."

Blight grinned, the slits in his lips and the edges of his mouth exposing far more of his fangs than was normal, even for him. By Necromancer standards, he was dressed exquisitely. Which meant that by the standards of anyone else he looked like something out of a nightmare. He was dressed, if that was the appropriate word, in something that looked like a black leather bodysuit- one that had been cut into pieces until it was really little more than an odd-looking collection of strips, somehow managing to make Blight look more unclothed than he would have been had he actually been nude.

The clothing itself was weird, but it was the "accessories" that truly tilted the scale. Blight had taken a vast variety of glass shards and various piece of metal and thrust them into his exposed flesh. He had forced pitons in a "saw-tooth" pattern into his right arm, forming one row above the bone and the other below it. He had forced another piton through the back of his left wrist, so that the point jutted from his palm like some sort of twisted dagger, and had –in perhaps his most eye-wincing decision- hammered three more of them into a triangular pattern around his crotch. Finally, most of the flesh that hadn't been taken up with embedded objects had been viciously gashed, long and relatively shallow cuts forming strange, arcane-looking patterns.

"A pity I don't have the time to cultivate some vermin, but oh well; this should make them go green with envy."

Green with disgust more like… 

Naturally, Storm wasn't stupid enough to voice his thoughts. As they walked through the house towards the Altar, they were startled when it suddenly flared into life with a considerable deal more violence than was normal.

"**WHERE IS IT!**" roared a relatively familiar voice. Storm blinked and squinted through the glare to confirm that the voice's owner was, indeed, Cinder. But this was Cinder as Storm had never seen him; with his Mage's Aura fully unleashed.

He literally glowed with fury, his flesh darkened to an almost charred-black and streaked with vein-like lines of fiery orange. The air around him shimmered and danced as though he was radiating incredible heat, sufficient to scorch any foolish enough to touch him to the very bone. With every exhalation of breath a cloud of smoke and glowing cinders poured from his mouth and nostrils. When he spoke, his voice was like that of a forge given form; steel clashing against steel merged with the roar of flames working together to form a facsimile of a human voice. The overall impression he gave was of destructive fury.

"Where is what?" asked Storm, who had been shaken for barely a few moments by the appearance; his own Aura was just as impressive should he choose to unleash it. Cinder didn't respond to Storm's question. At least, not in a coherent manner- his reply was a snarling, screaming jumble of furious outbursts of pure noise and a few raging words that they could make out. Distinctly, those included "sabotage", "experiment", "traitor" and finally, and most disturbingly, "on the rampage". Working hurriedly, Storm managed to deduce a likely series of events from Cinder's ravings.

"So let me get this straight; that experiment you left to work on was sabotaged by a spy implanted amongst your work-slaves by a rival of yours, and now its gone on a rampage?"

"**YES!**"

"But why did you come looking here? I mean, what are the odds it would be here?"

"You are kidding, aren't you Saotome?"

Storm, Blight and even Cinder blinked at that sudden comment and turned to see Mousse –sans shirt and glasses- staring at them in disbelief. They returned his blank stare for almost half a minute before Nabiki appeared from out of nowhere and struck Mousse over the back of the head with his own "Fist of the White Swan", clucking her tongue and gently rebuking him for constantly trying to escape as she dragged him back up the steps towards her room. A nervous sweatdrop rolled down the back of Storm and Blight's heads- it would have happened for Cinder as well, but it evaporated before it could move. Their attention was recaptured when the television suddenly switched itself on spontaneously; an act they attributed to Cinder's Aura.

"We bring you this report live from downtown Nerima, where what can only be described as a giant mechanical monster is currently on the rampage across the city. As you can see-" the reporter was suddenly cut off in mid-sentence as the creature –they couldn't really see it- suddenly lunged at the camera crew; the screen went blank and the audio resounded with screams, roars and the other sounds of destruction. The television then switched itself off. Without even bothering to look at them Cinder bounded over the wall and headed downtown. Storm rolled a cautionary eye towards Blight.

"Don't say a word."

"Did I say anything? Was I going to say anything? Sheesh, and you call **me** paranoid."

"You are paranoid- you're a Necromancer!"

"Point taken."

Within a matter of heartbeats the trio were at the scene of the destruction. There, they could plainly see Cinder's creation towering over the skyscrapers. In form it was vaguely humanoid, though constructed massive plates of steel and bristling with what were undoubtedly weapons. Cinder screeched to a halt, heaving clouds of ash from his mouth as he evidentially contemplated the best way to attack the beast, Blight and Storm stopping just slightly behind him. As they stared at the creature in something very akin to awe, Blight muttered something under his breath, at which Storm partially turned his head towards him.

"What was that?"

"I was just wondering why it is that we keep running into these giant monstrosities? I mean, I haven't seen so many behemoth-sized monsters go out of control since a meat-slave of mine left a gate open during Hellmouth Breeding Season."

"Thanks for jamming that delightful image into my brain" moaned Storm. Blight smirked but didn't answer, instead surging forward in Cinder's trail as the shimmering Sorcerer suddenly charged the towering mechanical monster. Storm, not one to miss out on all the "fun", quickly followed.

Manifesting his Soul Blade, a war-whip with the lash formed of dripping magma and molten steel, Cinder roared with fury and lashed out at a gap in the beast's armour, through which could be seen a complex conglomeration of cogs and metal cables. The whip's lash scourged the strangely delicate construction, provoking a returned roar from the creature, succeeded by a blast of intense flames that engulfed the furious Sorcerer. Despite knowing instinctively that Sorcerers were all but invincible against attacks of flame and heat, Storm's heart still skipped a beat as Cinder become a writhing column of fire, only resuming its normal pattern when the flames died away to reveal an unharmed and still defiance-spitting Sorcerer.

Voicing a sound that may have been either insane laughter, deranged shrieking or some unholy cross between the two, Blight literally danced up the mechanical monster's body, savagely beating and kicking at the metalwork all the way up until he reached the thing's crotch, whereupon he kicked off into space as it brought one massive fist arcing down in an attempt to crush him. Its reaction to nailing itself was surprisingly human, and Storm's heart almost felt a twinge of sympathy for the creature. Though nowhere near strong enough to prevent him from launching twin spiralling bolts of ice and lightning magic at the thing's eyes.

It immediately clapped another hand over its eyes and roared with pain, it's free hand warping into a shape disturbingly reminiscent of a gun and moving in Storm's direction. Unfortunately for it, by the time the cannon discharged, hurling a bullet the size of a tour-bus and evidentially stuffed to the brim with explosives, given the size of the crater it left behind, Storm was nowhere near the spot targeted. He winced at the buildings destroyed by the explosion.

"That's not coming out of my pocket!"

Any further complaints from Storm about the possibility of depleting his store of personal wealth were cut-off as the creature lashed out at him with a fist. Storm nimbly dodged it, and then retaliated.

_Three Hours Later…_

"This is getting monotonous" Storm complained.

"You're telling me; I mean, I like a good fight as much as the next sociopathic killing machine, but this has gone on for way too long. Hey coals for brains; isn't there any way to stop that thing?"

Cinder, no long raging in fury but panting from exhaustion –as were they all after three hours of non-stop battle- shook his head, whereupon Blight and Storm both scowled. Even Martial Mages could get tired, and three hours spent trying to keep Cinder's creation from moving its Godzilla act outside of this relatively small area were perhaps the most exhausting thing any of them had done. It seemed that no matter what they hit the thing with, it simply shrugged the attack straight off, while its own attacks had pretty much completely destroyed the area they were in.

As it turned out though, that was to be their key to winning this battle. As the creature lumbered towards them for another assault, it stepped into a massive pool of water, the result of a busted waterline. The instant it did so, it voiced a scream of pain and literally leapt backwards, frantically shaking its foot, much to the bewilderment of the Ranmas.

"What the heck is that about?" asked Storm. Cinder looked thoughtful for a few seconds and then smacked his open palm with his fist, his emotions visibly changing -as they tended to do- back into happiness as he solved the minor mystery.

"Now I remember; it escaped from my forge before I could apply the anti-rust treatments- that metal I built it out of is exceptionally tough but water corrodes it like acid."

"And you didn't tell us this before because?"

"I forgot" Cinder replied happily, eyes closed and smiling innocently. He opened his eyes to blink in confusion as Blight and Storm collapsed face-first onto the ground with enough force to make both craters and an audible crashing sound. With slow, deliberate movements, Blight pulled himself to his feet and walked straight up to Cinder until they were practically face-to-face.

"I swear, once we've kicked this thing back into whatever smelter it crawled out of, I am going to take the biggest, twistiest, **sharpest** object in my torture kit, and I am going to **ram it**, right up your…" Blight was cut off by Storm's hand falling on his shoulder.

"Business before pleasure Blight. I'll need you two to hold that thing off while I whip up the weather magic we need to deal with that thing." Blight continued glaring at the smiling Cinder for several seconds before turning and bounding towards the charging machine, Cinder easily matching him as Storm began summoning his namesake. Cinder lashed out with his magma-whip to encircle the beast's wrist and then used it's motion to hurl himself through the air towards its eyes, whilst Blight manifested his Soul Blade in its form of twin kamas and lashed out at the creature's injured foot, the mystical weaponry tearing easily through the weakened metal. As it screeched in pain Blight rushed around to the other leg and launched himself into the air, using them to help himself scale the thing's body like a mountaineer climbing a moving and very angry Everest.

Not that Storm could notice; he was far too focussed on the elemental energies currently flowing through his being and overlaying his vision. As the spell's power began to infuse his every cell, he held his hands, fingers splayed, so that they were about a foot apart. Pure magical energy surged through his arms and then out of his palms, meeting in the middle of the gap to form a crackling orb, which Storm then directed upwards as a blast of energy at the sky. It flashed upwards and disappeared with a sound like a thunderclap, jet-black storm clouds spiralling outwards from the spot where the "bolt" had "hit".

Thunder boomed again as twin lighting bolts lanced out from the epicentre, smashing into the rubble bare inches from the creature. Blight and Cinder quickly departed their positions on the creature as two more lightning bolts scored a direct hit on its chest, sending electricity coursing through its body. Gale-force winds began to howl and scream, roaring around Storm's body and thrusting futilely at the beast just as the sky itself seemed to burst, a torrential deluge of water pouring from the dark clouds and prompting hideous screams of agony from the metal monster. It thrashed and twisted frantically, trying to escape the water, but in vain.

Eventually, its jerking movements became too much for its decaying legs to handle; its feet broke off at the ankle, sending the behemoth tumbling to the ground. Cinder and Blight instantly leapt onto its chest and began rending the damaged metal apart, proving even worse screams from the creature as it felt its internal organs dissolve under the water flowing in through its wounds. Fortunately for it, Blight was evidentially not in the mood to enjoy it's suffering, as he simply smashed in its eyes and let the water dissolve the thing's brain after less than a minute of its tortured screaming. Once the creature had stopped twitching, Storm stopped the deluge, leaping forward to join Cinder and Blight at taking in the full scale of the destruction.

"I'm not cleaning this up" said Storm.

"Me either" answered Blight. The two of them turned to look at Cinder with a mutual calculating gleam in their eyes, which prompted the Sorcerer to take a few steps backwards with his hands raised in a half-hearted warding gesture.

"Come on now, what are you thinking?"

"This mess is your fault, so you can clean it up!" Storm snapped, jabbing Cinder forcefully in the chest. Cinder looked ready to argue for a second, but a quick glance at Storm and Blight's mutual expressions was enough to convince him of the futility of his efforts. He simply sighed and nodded, turning to examine the debris with a calculating expression as his two counterparts headed back to the Tendo Dojo.

_Okay, I'm sorry this took so long to do. All I can say is that "damn, I hate writer's block!". Most of the reviews from the previous chapter expressed interest in my "plane-jumping death rally", but I got no suggestions for rides for the Ranmas or which planes for them to head to. Please post those suggestions if you want the race to start in the next chapter._

_Also, just a final warning; I feel interest in this fic is beginning to wane. I will continue writing chapters only so long as people continue to express interest; from now on, providing a chapter receives at least 4 reviews, I will write a subsequent chapter. If it receives too few reviews –or no reviews at all- I will stop writing this fic. Naturally, if I receive more than 4 reviews, I will get the chapter written much faster._


	30. Extended Author's Notes

_Hello to one and all. This story of mine; "Sacrifice ½", has proven to be my best piece of work ever, and I am deeply grateful to you all for your many reviews; without the support they represent, this serial would never have reached this stage. Unfortunately, the next chapter will be delayed for a little due to lack of inspiration- not for specific events, but rather for details of intended events. If you want the next chapter posted quicker, then could you please post reviews containing any the following?_

_Ideas for events to occur -note that I'll be wanting these in pretty much all subsequent reviews-; I've entered a "drought" of inspiration, and your suggestions encourage my own to flourish._

_Details on how either an Empyrean (Elementalist) wedding or a Stygian (Necromancer)/Joketsuzoku wedding would be conducted; one reviewer for the last chapter asked when Storm and the others would be invited to attend Blight's wedding, and as I liked the idea I decided to use it for the next chapter, if not then for the subsequent one. I'm asking for the details for an Empyrean one because I thought I'd reintroduce two of my bit-part characters from early in the fic._

_You might remember that, when I introduced the Other Ranmas to Storm's Nerima, Blight mentioned that in his universe Mousse and Ukyo were engaged. Well, a line I intended to use but never got to was that they'd asked him (Blight) to be the best man at their wedding, and also named him godfather to their as-yet unborn child. Seeing a bit of drama potential there, I decided that I'd "spice up" Storm's time in Blight's Nerima by having B-Ukyo go into labour. Now, what I'm asking for here is your vote on the gender of the child (or possibly children, if I get enough reviews asking for multiples) and an appropriate name; I don't know any Chinese or Japanese, so I wouldn't know what to name it._

_However, I don't intend to just sit idly by and wait for your answers; if I can't write for Sacrifice ½ then I might as well try writing a chapter 2 for Return to Jusenkyo Redone. I also have two other story ideas in concept, and I'd like your opinions on if I should use them._

_The first I call "Twizted Matchups", and it's basically my homage to an obscure humour/romance fiction I know called "Non-Canonical Matchups". The problem here is that I'm a little stumped on two pairings; I definitely intend to include Ukyo/Mousse and Ranma+Nabiki+Shampoo, but I'm undecided as to who to pair up with Akane (I'm thinking Akane/Tatewaki Kuno) and I can't decide between Ryoga/Kasumi and Ryoga/Kodachi. Please let me know if you want me to write this –I do need the practise doing romance and humour- and who you want to see Akane and Ryoga end up with._

_The second story is tentatively called "Red Dwarf ½", for lack of a better title. The premise is simply this; sick of repairing the damage caused by the Nerima Wrecking Crew, the Nerima Council devise a plan to get rid of them. They authorise construction of an automated deep-space ship, and lure the NWC onto it before launching it on a one-way trip out of the solar system. The rest of the fic focuses on the trials and tribulations of a bunch of teenaged martial artists as they wander endlessly through deepest space, trying to figure out a way to get home. Should I do this story? If so, please suggest ideas for events you want to occur._

_I thank you in advance for any and all reviews you care to give me, and I apologise for springing this on you so suddenly._


	31. Chapter 30

S .5 Part Thirty 

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts._

**Author's Notes:** okay, just so that things don't get too confusing; the five Ranmas will be referred to by their "nicknames" by me and also by others who know about there being five of them and in a scenario where there is more than one Ranma present or a person wants to refer to a different Ranma than the one present. Otherwise, the Ranmas will be called Ranma.

Part 29: Blight's Wedding Day

"Explain to me again how that works?"

"Forget it! If you didn't get it after the first three times then there's no way I can explain it to you." Storm said, gesturing in resignation at the scowling Prince Herb. It was three days after Cinder's rogue experiment had run amuck in Storm's Nerima, and things were still in a frenetic buzz. For a start, Mousse had actually fallen in love with Nabiki, and despite the fact the potion had worn off Nabiki hadn't started hating him and was actually considering going out with him.

Of course, her horrified father had forbidden the two to even see each other, but unfortunately for him both of them had keenly developed minds, which they were now using to outmanoeuvre him, in Nabiki's case as much out of spite and the urge to prove herself out of his control as actual romantic interest in Mousse. Storm had to wonder just how that would play out, and a part of him wondered if it might not be too bad an idea to stick around and watch it.

Cinder had finally managed to get back into Storm's good books, after several days of grovelling –as much as the fiery tempered Sorcerer could grovel anyway- and was working on redeeming himself by devising an alarm mechanism for Storm's Altar; he didn't mind it when his other selves dropped in, but Storm refused to have to be the host to their screw-ups. Of course, nothing could ever be simple in Storm's life. Kasumi and Herb had returned from one of their dates and run into Grit, who'd come to speak with Storm about a matter of sculpture. Then he'd run off and left Storm to explain to the Musk Dynasty's prince why there had been two Ranmas. It hadn't gone too well.

"But let's stop talking about me and talk about something infinitely more interesting, hmm?" said Storm, a pleasant grin on his face, which prompted narrowed eyes from Herb.

"And what, pray tell, would that be?"

"Why, your relationship with the delightful Miss Kasumi!" Storm grinned, experiencing a surge of cruel glee in the shocked expression on Herb's face.

"W-what about it!" Herb stammered, Storm unable to stop himself from taking a twinge of sadistic glee at the faint hint of fear that tinted Herb's voice; evidentially he feared Storm would try to separate him from Kasumi.

"Relax, I don't intend to try and split the two of you up or anything, I'm simply interested in how the courtship is proceeding."

"Well… I don't really know. I've taken her on a few dates, and she seems to have enjoyed herself, but she still doesn't seem to think of me as anything more than a friend." Herb replied, looking (and sounding) somewhat depressed. Storm rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Here's a left-field idea; have you actually told Kasumi you've been taking her out on dates?"

Herb simply stared at Storm in reply. Storm responded by lazily sliding his eyes shut to slits, rolling his head on his neck and stretching backwards with his arms until the joints audibly popped.

"Suit yourself. I just thought I should point out that Kasumi, when it comes to matters of the heart, is very naïve. It's extremely doubtful that she'll recognize your intentions for anything other than mere friendliness. If you don't want to actually get anywhere with the relationship, that's your business. Me; I got other things to worry about."

"Such as?"

"Such as getting a formal outfit ready and preparing a suitably ceremonial meal, that's what. I've got a wedding to attend."

If there was anything that proved Storm had been absent from the daily madness of Nerima for too long, it was that final sentence. For Storm had forgotten one of the most important laws of Nerima, the law that even his new powers couldn't protect him from. Never Mention The "W" Word. The syllables had barely passed his lips when anarchy broke out; Ryoga, Soun, Genma, Kuno and his fiancées all appearing out of nowhere to, as one, begin shouting questions, arguments, statements, encouragements and generally making a noisy nuisance of themselves until the din grew so fierce that Storm had to cover his ears and Herb slunk away.

Storm tolerated this for all of two to four seconds, whereupon he drowned out their voices with a Thunderclap spell. He waited for them to regain their hearing, judging this to have occurred by the fact they stopped holding their ears and shaking their heads to instead glare at him, before speaking.

"Okay, so what's got your brains in a knot? It's not my wedding I'm talking about."

"It isn't?" asked Soun and Genma, visibly and audibly disappointed. Storm snorted at them.

"No, it isn't. Two of my friends from when I was studying Elementalism at Castle de'Cuckoo are getting married today, and I just received an invitation. So I have to get ready, and quickly- I don't have time for you lot."

Storm started moving purposely towards his Altar, but slowed down and stopped bare inches from it, seemingly halted by the hurt expressions and "puppy-dog eyes" his fiancées were directing at him without even seeing them. He reached out and gently stroked the sculpted ice of his Altar for a second, apparently deep in thought, before sighing and turning to face his three fiancées.

"Would you three like to come with me? After all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event."

Three identical smiles of joy broke out across three faces, and Storm couldn't help a strange twinge of… _'warmth'_… that suddenly flushed through his body for an instant. A faint smile on his face, he gently beckoned the three of them to come forward before suddenly turning a literally freezing glare on Ryoga, Kuno, Genma and Soun. Pointedly ignoring the four giant icecubes now standing on the lawn, he reached into a subspace pocket and withdrew three sakas and hirus, which he then flung to the girls. They caught them from mid-air and looked at them with mutual expressions of puzzlement.

"We don't have time for you to find or purchase anything that would be suitable here, especially considering the temporal differences between here and Otherworld, so I'll have to loan you some clothing from Dalara Peaks for the ceremony. And in case you've forgotten, Empyrea is a lot colder than here, so you'll need to wear those while we go to Dalara Peaks and get ready for the ceremony. And you four will stay here and not make a nuisance of yourselves."

This last sentence was directed at the frozen males, who couldn't have answered even if they wanted to, though the expressions on their faces visible through the ice answered them quite clearly. Paying them no attention, Storm's fiancées pulled on the warm clothing that Storm had given them –they remembered the bitter cold of the place Storm considered his true home only too well- and followed him through the portal, emerging into the middle of a torrential downpour. They quickly and eagerly followed Storm down the stone path –which they hadn't noticed the last time due to the thick fog- and tried to memorise the way.

"So when is this wedding we're going to anyway?" asked Akane, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the silence.

"About three hours. I have my clothing ready, I simply need to prepare a proper meal while I oversee getting the three of you something suitably formal to wear."

"What do you need to prepare a meal for?" asked Shampoo out of curiosity. After all, if the spirits favoured her she would experience this scenario with Ranma from the other side someday. Hopefully someday soon. She couldn't help but wonder sometimes about her "other selves", the versions of her who inhabited the parallel worlds from which came Blight, Cinder, Grit and Sooth. She especially wondered about the version of her from Blight's world- she'd been told that that version had managed to get herself truly engaged to Ranma, at the cost of having to share him with Nabiki. Her curiosity about how that situation had come to pass was driving her crazy.

"It's traditional; all the invited guest are expected to provide a personal dish of their own design. For one thing it cuts down on the food bill. Sort of like a potluck. Also expected is a gift; it can be ornamental or practical, so long as it isn't some cheap second-hand piece of junk. Again, I've already taken care of that."

Having said his piece, Storm fell silent again. Nothing more was said until the four reached Sliverspine Village, whereupon Storm started heading towards his home, only to be cut off as a small barking thing suddenly leapt from out of nowhere and tackled him. Shampoo, Ukyo and even Akane instinctively advanced upon whatever it was that had attacked him, but stopped and blinked as they realised the thing was neither a threat nor attacking.

It was hard to make out exactly what it was, due to the way it constantly writhed and threshed, but as far as they could tell it was a… well… a chibi version of a Frostwolf, with a ridiculously large tail and even a tiny dagger, clenched in its fuzzy fist. As it playfully grappled with Storm, it kept up a constant barrage of barks, yips, growls and other canine noises. Kind of like a little kid greeting a dearly admired friend or a long-absent family member. The girls couldn't help but blink in confusion as they realised Storm was making the same sort of sounds, almost as though he were talking to it. As they blinked at the sheer absurdity of that thought, another figure suddenly came limping, rather quickly, from between the huts, voicing a loud, angry bark.

Instantly the creature in Storm's arms stopped squirming and started whining, its ears flattening against its skull. The figure, revealed to be a female Frostwolf with a clearly injured leg and using a thickly-shafted spear as a walking stick, limped straight up to Storm, her eyes fixated on the creature he was holding –evidentially a baby Frostwolf- and a rumbling growl echoing from her throat. The infant lowered its head, still whining, and Storm calmly stretched out his hands and offered it back to the female, apparently its mother, who took it back by grasping the scruff of its neck. She growled at the child and then turned back to Storm.

"I apologize lorrrd Rrranma, I don't know how she got away from me again." Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo all blinked at the sound of the Frostwolf accent, which they were unfamiliar with. Storm simply smiled gently as he replied.

"It's alright Daggertongue. I think she'll really be good when she grows old enough to hunt. As a matter of fact, I was just looking for you."

"Oh? What forrr?" she growled, looking askance at Storm, who in return gestured towards the bewildered trio of fiancées.

"I have to attend Chano and Syra's wedding shortly, and these three wish to escort me there. Unfortunately, they have nothing appropriate, and I'm the first to admit I know nothing about feminine fashion. So, if you could see to obtaining some suitable garbs for them…"

"Say no morrre my lorrrd, it will be done. You thrrree, come with me." Storm nodded his head in satisfaction as he headed towards his home, while the three fiancées –somewhat hesitantly, it must be said- followed the limping Frostwolf and her daughter.

"Well? What do you think? Is it to yourrr liking?"

"It's… it's beautiful." Akane whispered, too distracted by the sight of herself in the mirror to truly focus on Daggertongue. The clothes recalled –to her mind at least- a ballerina's outfit; a tight, form-fitting leotard of an incredibly fine, extremely soft and unbelievably warm material, the bluish-black of the night sky in colour and studded with thousands of tiny sequin-like glinting object, invoking the stars of the clearest night.

"I'll say sugar, you really have an eye for materials Mrs. Daggertongue." Said Ukyo, "gently" nudging Akane out of the way so she could get a better look at her own clothes; a bodysuit of purest white, with numerous fluttering "scarfs" draping from her limbs and forming a collar around her neck. With every move she made these scraps of fabric moved and swayed on the breeze.

"Thank you forrr the compliment. And don't call me Mrrrs. Daggertongue; you'll make me feel old." The Frostwolf chuckled. Shampoo looked up at her from where she was admiring her own clothing; in style it was far less ornate than those worn by Akane and Ukyo, but made from a brilliant silvery fur and looked to be their equal if not their superior in quality and extravagance.

"I'm grateful for the clothes too, but tell me; where did you find such beautiful clothing? And how did you manage to get it to fit us so perfectly?"

"The clothing was no trrrouble to obtain; Lorrrd Rrranma does contrrrol all of Dalarrra Peaks, so he can obtain rrraw materrrials and finished clothing frrrom anywherrre he desirrres. As forrr the fitting… that was no prrroblem eitherrr; we have skilled weaverrrrs and furrrierrrs in Dalarrra, and we have hearrrd much about all of you from Lorrrd Rrranma as well, which only made it easierrr."

The girls blinked at the final part of that last sentence, then decided they really didn't want to ask. Besides which, they were sure it was time for them to head to the wedding- they had no method of keeping track of time themselves. They left Daggertongue's hut, marvelling at how warm their new clothes were, and headed towards Storm's hut. They were in such a rush they forget their sakas and hirus, but luckily for them the rain had –against all odds- stopped.

"Ranma, are you ready to go or-" Akane's voice trailed off and she joined the other fiancées in staring gobsmacked at Storm's new clothes, Storm himself flushing softly with embarrassment at having been surprised by them. In style they resembled Storm's normal apparel, but the designs upon them and the material from which they were composed were as far from normal as it was possible to get. They literally shimmered and emitted their own faint glow, less being worn and more caressing Storm's body as he did a singular twirl for his –very appreciative- audience.

"I normally wouldn't wear something this… decadent… but a wedding is an occasion on which you're supposed to show off, yes? My own design this is, spun by my hands from ice crystals and mist vapours and static electricity. You like it?"

His audience's speechlessness convinced him that they did like it. With a grin he hefted a small iron cauldron in one hand and lifted… something that was gift-wrapped… onto his shoulder with the other before starting towards the door. Still mute, the girls moved aside to let him through and then followed him along a path, until they reached a spot they remembered all too well from the last time they were in Otherworld.

"Oh no! Not this time! I refuse to submit myself to that nightmare again!" Akane shouted, Ukyo and even Shampoo nodding their agreement. Storm heaved an exaggerated sigh of exasperation and turned to face them.

"Look, do you really want to spend several hours walking there, risking your life only to end up missing the wedding altogether? If you could fly by yourselves I wouldn't need to whistle up a whirlwind, but you can't so I do. Unless you don't want to come, in which case just say so and I'll fly myself there. I can't afford to miss this wedding; these are good friends of mine and, besides which, I need their political goodwill. I can't afford to risk aggravating them by missing something like this."

He waited for the three girls to shake their heads in unison. "Thought so." He growled and turned back towards the void beyond the peak of rock upon which the four of them stood, pursing his lips to whistle the special notes that would summon their means of transportation. The musical notes the girls had learned to dread after only a single exposure lingered in the air for second before being chased away by the roaring of winds as a spinning vortex bore down upon them all.

It would be hard for them to say, when they were later asked about it, precisely what detail about the wedding of Chano and Syra remained most firmly lodged in their memories. Was it, perhaps, the ice sculptures; ornate and otherworldy beauty wrought in cold, transparent medium? Was it the eerie, haunting melodies played in accompaniment? Was it the ornate and delicate accessories worn by bride, groom and guests, each individual attempting to out-splendour the others without seeming too garish or tacky? Whatever it was, they all would agree that the ceremony was beautiful, from the moment the music began and the happy couple-to-be entered to when the newly-weds finally sealed their marriage with a kiss. Now that the actual ceremony was over the crowd was mingling, Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo happily indulging themselves in the extremely odd –but tasty- array of foodstuffs available while Storm chatted to Chano and Syra.

"So when is it due anyway?" asked Storm in a soft tone, proving confused looks from his fiancées and expressions of mild shock and panic from the newly-weds.

"How did you know we were… expecting?" Syra whispered, at which Storm chuckles and the fiancées looked up.

"I have a keen eye for small details, you should know that by now, and to the careful observer you're practically screaming your pregnancy aloud." It was at that moment when a series of startled screams suddenly began issuing from behind them. Storm's expression grew a notch colder.

"That is not funny. What's going on?"

He turned towards the screams, the fiancées –somewhat reluctantly it has to be said- abandoning their meals to join him as the other startled guests started trampling over each other in their eagerness to retreat from a towering, robe-shrouded figure, from which emanated the faintest scent of rotting flesh. Storm inhaled sharply with a just-barely audible hiss.

"A Dark Herald. One of the most powerful creatures bound to Charnel. But what the hell would it be doing so far from Stygia?"

Storm's question was quickly answered; the creature instantly turned towards him and strode purposely across the floor to meet him. Everyone else, including his fiancées and the newly-weds, backed away as the towering monster stopped bare inches away from Storm- if not for the fact it was nearly twice as tall as him, they would have been nose to nose. The creature tilted its hood-hidden head downwards, so that it was apparently meeting Storm's emotionless gaze before speaking in a dry, hissing wheeze.

"You… are Ranma Sssaotome, Ssstormlord… of Dalara Peaksss, are you not?"

"I am."

"I bring a message… from Ranma Sssaotome, Arch-Heretic of the Bleak Marssshesss. He sssendsss you an… invitation."

"Oh yeah? An invitation to what?"

"He… invitesss you to… attend his wedding day. If you wisssh to attend that isss…"

The Dark Herald reached into the musty depths of its robe and pulled out a stained, aged scroll, which it then handed over to Storm. The fiancées crept close and looked over his shoulder as he opened it, confirming that it was indeed a wedding invitation from Blight. As Storm blinked in confusion –why would Blight invite him to his wedding?- the Dark Herald heaved a wheezing sigh and turned to go.

"I'll tell him you were uninteresssted…"

"Wait a second there, who said I was uninterested? I was just confused why he'd invite me is all."

"He invited all of you… it'sss jussst that not one of you hasss accepted the invitation. I couldn't even find Sssooth to give him hisss invitation."

Storm nodded in understanding before returning his attention to the scroll he still clutched for several seconds. Finally, he nodded and looked the Dark Herald straight in the "eye".

"I accept the invitation. It's simply courtesy after all. When is the wedding to be held?"

"Now…."

Before anyone could react, the Dark Herald flung its arms out above its head, making its cloak swirl dramatically as the light and sound vanished, leaving in their place a dark void filled with only the sound of roaring winds and the sensation of tumbling endless head over foot. Then the sensation faded and the light returned- to a degree. Shaking their heads to clear the distortion caused by teleportation, Storm and his fiancées found themselves standing in a dark and dilapidated room. Storm glared at the Dark Herald.

"A warning wouldn't have killed you ya know."

"Forgive my servant. He always has been a little… impulsive."

Storm and his fiancées swivelled around to see Blight, though any immediate statements they may have had prepared died before birth at the sight of his clothing; a weirdly ceremonial uniform of bloody red and deepest black. Blight grinned at them, slits in the flesh of his lips revealing a disturbing amount of fangs as he gestured at his clothing with his right hand, drawing attention to both his garb and the blade-like projections of bone jutting from the tips of his fingers.

"You like it? I commissioned it especially for this day. But anyway, I am truly grateful that you chose to attend."

"It was the least I could do. After all, we are the closest things we have to a real family. A pity the others fail to recognize that fact."

Blight's habitual smirk spread across his face, but then it changed somewhat, warping and twisting into something resembling an actual smile rather than his normal twisted leers. It remained in place for less than a heartbeat, then vanished so quickly that those who had witnessed it could only wonder if they had even seen it in the first place.

"I never figured you for the sentimental type Storm. Come with me then, and bring your lady-friends with you."

"Err…"

"You needn't worry about feeding them; I ensured the chefs prepared some food that was edible by normal standards as well as Necromancer standards." The look of relief on Storm's face was almost comical in its intensity. Blight chuckled –or perhaps cackled softly might be a better term- and headed off into the dark depths of the house as Storm's fiancées stared at him in confusion.

"What was that about?"

"Trust me, you're better off not knowing." Said Storm with a shudder as he followed in Blight's footsteps, the girls trailing behind.

It says a lot for the mental state of the Nerima Wrecking Crew that, once Storm had returned from Otherworld and they accepted his new nature as an Elementalist, they had completely stopped caring about it, simply treating it as part of life. Certainly they had never wondered precisely what might have happened if Storm had chosen to follow a different path of magic. The events of Blight's wedding, however, were forcing Storm's fiancées to follow that train of thought.

Whereas the Elementalist wedding they'd seen before had been enchanting, if a little eerie in places, the Necromancer wedding was completely horrific to them. Surrounded by deepest darkness, with the very barest of light coming from greasy, slimy-looking candles of jet-black and blood-red –rendered from human fat according to Storm- they sat surrounded by vaguely seen horrific figures, chanting at a pitch so low it was just barely within the detectible range for humans as the groom and brides ritually carved symbols into each other's chests, symbolizing the establishment of bonds of mutual slavery. And then it was time to eat.

They were extremely glad they'd eaten a little at Chano and Syra's wedding; the food available here at Blight's wedding was stuff from a nightmare. There were bowls writhing with live insects, trays were grotesquely mutated rats threshed and squealed in agony from the brutally barbed skewers thrust into their spines, platters piled high with gore-dripping internal organs and far, far worse lay across the table. Everywhere there was blood and rot and pus and putrescence, a feast of foulness and the macabre. Needless to say, Storm and his fiancées quickly lost their appetites, choosing instead to stay in a dark corner to try and avoid being caught up in the Machiavellian political machinations that inevitably began weaving themselves into existence when several Necromancers gathered.

Finally, the other Necromancers departed. Storm and his fiancées would have easily joined them, had it not been for an extremely odd from Blight.

"Let me get this straight: you want **me** to be your halat dan?" Storm asked incredulously, pointing at himself as Blight and his wives flushed, stared at their feet and nodded. Ukyo spoke up in an attempt to fill the resultant uncomfortable silence.

"What's a halat dan?"

"The term roughly translates as 'door guardian' or 'soul brother'; to be asked for the role indicates great trust is held in you. Basically, it's a symbolic thing that's been passed down; traditionally, the halat dan's role is to defend the newly-weds on their wedding night."

"Defend them from what, exactly?"

"Any threat in general really, though primarily from rival Necromancers. The position hasn't really been anything more than virtually-forgotten ceremony for generations."

Storm trailed off into silence and looked thoughtful, rubbing his chin for several seconds before nodding.

"Fine. I'll do it. I guess it's the least I can do."

"Thank you." Echoed with perfect synchronicity from three throats, identical wicked grins slithering onto their faces as Blight picked up his new brides and carried them away down the dark corridors, leaving Storm's fiancées staring after them with a little confusion and more than a hint of jealousy.

"So what do we do now Ran-chan?" asked Ukyo, her use of the long-absent (relatively speaking) affectionate nickname she had coined for Storm not going unnoticed by the other fiancées. Storm turned to her as he answered.

"There'll be a guest room or two somewhere in this place. We just have to find it."

Five minutes later, they had found three torture chambers, two pits of unfathomable horrors, five treasuries, sixteen death traps, four gardens of evil and one zombie petting zoo. Storm stumbled into the newest chamber, trying desperately to wrench the shrieking zombie monkey that had latched onto his head from its perch whilst Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo put a valiant fight as the rear flank, trying to keep the shambling, brain-crazed horrors back until they finally managed to slam the heavy, iron-reinforced oaken door on them as Storm succeeded in pulling the zombie monkey from his head and dashing its brains out against the wall. Breathing heavily, he looked around the room; evidentially some sort of parlour. He slumped into an armchair and his fiancées, once they were certain that the creatures outside wouldn't break in, followed him.

They sat there in silence for several minutes, the only sounds to be heard their mutual breaths and the faint pounding and moaning of the zombies outside, which eventually died away. And then the stillness was broken by a faint glow of bluish-black light, accompanied by a whispered voice that was all too familiar, emanating from a crystal orb on a table. Storm, somewhat clumsily due to the blood and cerebral fluid coating his fingers, fumbled for the orb, bringing it up to his face as he tried to recall how to activate it. He needn't have bothered, as the orb itself suddenly sprung to life, revealing the face of Sooth within its depths.

"Blight, I know this is going to be hilarious for you, but… wait a second, Storm? How the heck did I get you!"

"I happen to be staying in Blight's mansion for the night; as his halat dan no less. And where were you when your brother in all but fate was getting married?"

Sooth's expression in the orb was one of utter shock and confusion.

"You mean he got married? Today? Wow, I have been outta the loop. Anyway, can you take me to him? I need to speak to him."

"Now is… probably not a good time…"

"I don't care! It's a matter of life or death! I need to speak to him **NOW**!"

If it wasn't for the fact Storm was used to loud noises, an occupational hazard of dealing with thunderstorms, he probably would have been deafened and still had to resist the urge to wriggle a finger inside his ear. He gingerly stood up and headed towards the door.

"Okay, okay, I'll take you to him. But I really think you should have waited."

His fiancées, not being stupid –despite how they might have acted on occasion- remained behind as Storm desperately retraced his steps until he found a room he ascertained to be Blight's bedchamber, primarily thanks to his augmented senses. A photographic memory usually comes in handy. But sometimes it doesn't. This was one of those occasions, and Storm made a mental note to prepare and use a mental emetic as soon as possible.

He mentally came up with and rejected almost a dozen plans before finally settling on the one he knew would work. He closed his eyes as tight as he could, kicked in the door, used magic to augment his voice, screamed for Blight's attention and then tossed the orb in the direction his other senses told him Blight was in before turning and running like Armageddon itself was chasing him.

He dashed into a nearby parlour, where he discovered his fiancées had somehow beaten him there, just as all hell broke loose (judging by the sheer volume of what Blight was saying). Finally, things quietened down and Storm risked peering out of the room just as Blight, clad in nothing but pants and a grisly armour made from the bones of humanoid creatures, came stalking down the corridor, his Soul Blade manifest and grumbling and snarling to himself. Storm couldn't have stopped his reaction no matter how badly he wanted to.

"So what did Sooth want?"

The look on Blight's face as he whirled to face Storm provoked an instant and instinctive reaction to run away and hide. Blight's breath snarled between his fangs before he finally managed to get the words out, literally spitting them from his tongue as though they were poisoned.

"You want to know what that moronic, idiotic, imbecilic disgrace to our name has done? You want to know what was so gods-damned important he had to interrupt me on this, the most important night of my life? The stupid, wretched, obscene blasphemy has only managed to go and get himself captured by a bunch of little girls with too-perky attitudes and who run around in sailor suits tossing spells, that's all! Why do I have to sort out his damn messes! That miserable…"

Still spitting curses and muttering under his breath, Blight stormed down the corridor, Storm, Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo nervously tracking his progress. Storm swallowed audibly as his hand went unconsciously to his throat.

"I think Sooth's going to be in deep, deep trouble when Blight gets his hands on him.

_All right! Finally I got that chapter finished! Unfortunately, the end of this chapter brings with it sad news. As I mentioned last time I posted, I've contracted a major league case of Writer's Block- I simply have no inspiration left for this story. As a result, I won't be writing any more chapters until and unless I get some new inspiration. You can help me by providing suggestions for future chapter events in your reviews- remember, this fanfiction was written to entertain you. It's your choice to do so or not though, but your reviews can help bring this fic back to life._

_On a side-note: I am attempting to get chapter 3 of my "Twizted Matchups" finished and posted, but I fear that without reviews/advice for it that fiction will die once chapter 3 is up. I also intend to try writing chapter 2 of "Return to Jusenkyo Redone" and to start my "Red Dwarf ½", but their existence remains doubtful._


	32. Closing Comments

Okay, I hate to do this to you all, but I'm afraid that as of now, Sacrifice ½ is officially closed down. I may very well start a "sequel" fiction continuing on from the events depicted in the last chapter, but I'm afraid that isn't very likely so far.

It was a long run, and I enjoyed writing this. I also enjoyed reading all of your enthusiastic reviews; from the moment the concept for this story came into my head, I was afraid it'd be derided, or that I would be mocked for my lack of writing skills. You all coached me through my fears and helped make this story run into what could almost be considered a semi-epic. Now, I've moved on to other stories, and with luck they too will flourish as this did.

However, I have an idea that might make this event a little less emotional. Several times throughout Sacrifice ½ I received reviews asking for side-stories detailing the lives of Ranma's "Others": Cinder, Sooth, Grit and –especially- Blight. With these closing notes, I'm asking for the last time: should I write "Sacrifice ½: Blight's Story"? (I know the name stinks, and I'd welcome suggestions as to better ones.) If you respond to these notes with reviews and/or PMs requesting this, and especially if you provide ideas for particularly "note-worthy" events from Blight's life in Stygia, I will write it as I wait for reviews to my new project; "Red Dwarf One-Half" and to my first (and looking to be my last, so far) foray into Teen Titans fiction.


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